Akuma No Tamashi
by Wings of Wax
Summary: A human woman holds the soul of a demon within her body. She's not quite useless, but not quite useful, either. She's a human prisoner in a demon's paradise. What could go wrong?
1. Chapter 1

The dark, seedy bar was filled with clouds of smoke. Depressing music filled the air, fitting the mood for most of the patrons. The tables scattered throughout the place held only a few customers. The bar that stretched most of the length of the left wall held a few more people. One such customer didn't quite belong. Her long black evening gown was low cut and had a split in the fabric that showed off her shapely right thigh and calf. The tall heels she'd worn in lay abandoned on the floor below her feet. The tall stool was uncomfortable. She downed a shot of brown liquid and held the glass up towards the bartender. She grimaced as she swallowed the harsh alcohol. She took another long drag from the cigarette held between her slim fingers. Her hair was tied up on the top of her head in a bun. Two ornately decorated black chopsticks framed the small pieces of hair that stuck straight up out of the bun. Her long silver earrings matched the thick silver necklace that draped down between her breasts.

"Hello?" she demanded, waving the shot glass in the air. The bartender gave a heavy sigh and headed for the woman. "Another shot of Jack, please."

"I think you've had enough, sweetheart," the bartender responded, taking the glass from her hand. She frowned.

"Fine!" she spat. She grabbed the tiny purse by her hand and fished out a few bills. She threw them at the bartender and hopped off of the stool. She grabbed her shoes, rather than putting them on, and headed for the door. Muttering dark expletives to herself, she began to walk down the sidewalk, swaying with every few steps.

"Stupid bartender," she bit. "Stupid bar. Stupid Togashi. Stupid date. Stupid restaurant." In her drunken daze, she wandered around the city. She found a liquor store and stumbled inside. She found the shelf for whisky and grabbed the biggest bottle of Jack Daniels she could find. The young boy at the counter gave her the total and told her to have a safe night. As soon as she heard the door close behind her, she stood on the sidewalk and opened the brand new bottle of whisky. She took a gulp, her lips pulling away from her teeth and hissing as the room-temperature liquid seemed to burn through her esophagus and warm her belly. She screwed the lid back on the bottle and resumed walking.  
-

Aimless. Mindless. Stumbling drunk.

The well-dressed female human smelled of strong alcohol and cigarette smoke. She carried her shoes rather than wear them. Every few minutes, she came to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk and took another long drink from the bottle in her hand. She continued on, swaying from left to right. The park that lingered two blocks away seemed to be his target's ultimate destination.

He could find nothing remarkable about her. Smeared dark red lipstick. Hair falling out of the bun on the top of her head. Dark circles under her eyes. Her slender frame bowed over. He watched her collapse on the park bench. She was useless. He felt no inclination to change this opinion.  
-

The eyes that had been following her all evening were a distraction.

She lay on the bench, staring up at the stars in the black night sky. A cool breeze chilled her. Without a glance, she pulled a cigarette from the soft paper pack and put it to her lips. Her lighter in her hand sparked and she held the flame to the tip as she inhaled. Flicking the lighter closed, she dropped her hand and exhaled a cloud of thick smoke.

Those eyes had been focused on her back for most of the night. She'd felt them between her shoulder blades- right at the base of her neck. The tattoo she had burned under the pressure. Now she could feel the eyes traveling over her body. She wasn't aware of why or how she knew this. She trusted the instinct. Her world was spinning. She placed her right foot on the cold, wet grass, trying to hold the world still. It worked- to a point. The dizzy feeling washed over her. It was almost a relief.

She turned her head to look out at the street. Her eyes drifted to the bottle on the ground beside her. She hadn't realized how much of it was already gone until this point. A small giggle erupted from her chest. She was trashed. Wasted.

The eyes continued to burn her skin. They were focused on her right leg. The split in her gown revealed a long tattoo: a solid black dragon that wound its way from her hip all the way down to the top of her foot.

She was annoyed.

Those eyes!

Sitting up was a feat she was sure was going to lead to puking. She  
took another drag from the menthol cigarette in her hand. She sighed with the exhale. Gripping the back of the bench, she pulled herself into a sitting position. She fought to keep the liquid and bile within her stomach. Somehow, it worked. She flicked the ashes from her cigarette and took another breath of smoke.

Damn those eyes...  
-

Wary and uneasy, he watched her stand. The woman kneeled to grab her shoes and the bottle from the ground, and he watched her sway as she stood once more. The need for the human was one Hiei was not accustomed to. The demands from the former demon king Mukuro had led him here, to find her. She was necessary to fill some role Hiei did not fully grasp the gravity of. Psychic or no, she did not belong in his world.

Tension rolled through his shoulders. He pushed it away, but the sensation refused to be ignored for long. A sense of foreboding washed over him as the woman began to stumble her way down the sidewalks of the near-empty city streets. He kept his distance, watching and waiting.

Scouting did not suit him. The drive for action fueled his feet, keeping him to the rooftops as he followed the woman. He was well aware that the small apartment she deemed her home was more than fifteen blocks away. He'd come to accept this was a lengthy distance for humans- even more so for those under the influence of strong alcohol.  
He could see the human boys lingering in the alley. He kept a close eye on them as they watched his target stumble along. He knew of their intentions without the need of his telepathic abilities. Not seeming to notice them, the woman continued on her path. There was no need to interfere unless her life was in danger. Mukuro had requested her alive but had made no mention of the woman's physical condition beyond that. A small twist of thought stung the back of his mind. This small part of him knew he could not stand idly by and watch harm come to her. Humans were weak, pathetic creatures. He scowled when the group of four boys left the alley, following his target from a few feet behind.  
-

She felt more eyes. She was unable to discern how many pairs. Their presence behind her was no shock now. She kept to her path. They didn't deserve her attention- not as long as they kept their distance. The desire to confront the boys was dampened from the alcohol. Her senses had not dulled from the intoxicated sensation her body felt. Her senses had become sharper, more refined. She knew before the boys began to close the distance between them. She felt their overwhelming pride and need to dominate. She blinked her eyes. They felt dry.

The hollow, dead sensation where fear should have taken over left her without remorse when she felt the hand encircle her wrist. It was a bad move. Her other hand held her shoes. She let one fall to the ground beside her, and adjusted the other in her hand to use the sharp stiletto heel as a weapon. She jerked around faster than the boy realized. She drove the heel into his neck, right at the collar bone. If she'd been taller, she might have made for his temple. The shriek of agony that ripped through the boy's chest and out from his mouth made her smile. She always felt this sick, twisted sensation of pure pleasure when she was underestimated by an opponent.

Quick reactions from the other three boys led her to drop the shoe and take a step backwards. She pulled one of the chopsticks from her hair and drove it home into the throat of the next boy to try to grab her. He was unable to scream out, his lungs filling with his own blood. The pounding in her ears rushed her to slam the glass bottle in her hand onto the lightpost to her left. It shattered, the remaining liquid splashing to the cold concrete. She brandished the broken glass as a weapon, daring the other two boys forward.

"You bitch!" one shouted. She noticed little about him, save for his movements. A switchblade knife had appeared in his hand, and her focus revolved around it when he and his friend stepped closer. She moved like water, dodging the punch and kick from the boy on her left and gliding out of the path of the forward stabbing motion of the knife. She stepped forward, surprising both of the boys. Her hand was quick. Before the blood began to spill from the deep arc she'd carved onto the chest of the boy with the knife, she stabbed the sharp glass into the other boy's tender side. Their agonized screams of pain thrilled her, warming her blood more than the actions themselves. A small part of her knew she shouldn't be smiling, but she could not prevent the wide grin from finding its way across her face.

A twinge of pain shot through her left foot. She looked to the ground and frowned. The pile of broken glass from the bottle she still held was directly under her foot. She cursed herself. She used her toes to limp away from the bloody mess she'd made of the boys. They deserved her punishment.  
-

Shock flashed over his features. He'd been ready to leap from the roof, sword drawn. While he couldn't kill the disgusting human boys, he could maim them. She'd reacted with violence and force- a feature of human women he had not come to expect. He'd seen this situation played out before, in various ways. Most women would scream and cry for help, fighting back little if at all. She'd effectively killed at least one of them, although he could see that their deaths were not her intention. She left a trail of bloody footprints as she left the scene.  
Perhaps there was more to this woman, after all. When Mukuro had demanded the woman's presence, Hiei hadn't understood why, and didn't care enough to wonder. Now curiosity filled him. He could feel no shred of spiritual or demonic energy from this woman, but in this moment, something about her was not quite human.

He still had two days to watch her before returning to demon world  
with the target in his possession. The original plan had been snatch-and-grab. That had changed on the first day he'd located her. The amount of attention she garnered from human males was inconvenient, if not disturbing.

He had to replay the memory of her fight over in his mind. The woman was drunk. She should have been slow and handicapped from the alcohol. Instead, she been quick and decisive. Her body had shown no signs of intoxication when she landed her blows and dodged the ones aimed for her. However, now that the short, intense battle was over with, she was stumbling and limping along once more. It fuelled his curiosity.

She left the main road, cutting through an alley and a parking lot. He could smell her blood on the air. The scent was human. Something else lingered in the air. Unable to directly identify it, he continued forward, following the woman to her home. Once she was alone, he could take her from this world without notice.  
-

The eyes were still following her. She'd hoped to avoid both the police and the eyes by taking shortcuts through alleys. She'd left the police behind with no trouble, but the eyes continued to burn the tattoo on her back. Her foot was beginning to throb. The effects of the alcohol were wearing off. With a sigh, she paused to rest against the side of a building. She lifted her foot to look at it, and found a bloody mess. There were at least three small pieces of glass stuck in her foot.

Frustration washed over her. She'd been stood up tonight, attacked, and now she was losing her buzz. On top of that, someone was following her. She could still feel the eyes staring at her, focused on her right leg again. The tattoo had been a drunken gift to herself. She didn't remember getting it, only remembered waking up with burning skin. It took a lot of care and a long time for the mark to heal. For some reason, whoever was following her had a fixation on the ink.  
She pushed herself away from the wall and kept walking. She was becoming more aware of the constant ache in her left foot. A chill ran down her spine. Part of her thought it might have something to do with those eyes that were following her. Another part of herself thought it was something much different- something much worse. She swore, cursing her bad luck. Sure, she could defend herself from a few horney boys, but that was about the extent of her skill. She began to walk a little faster. Her apartment complex was only a few more blocks away.

Relief washed over her when she reached the keypad and punched in the security code to get into the building. As soon as the door locked behind her, her feeling of being watched and the uneasy feeling both went away. She made her way up two flights of stairs to the floor her room was located on.

"Hello, Dansei," she cooed. Her big orange cat greeted her at the door. She scratched his head, cheeks, and under his chin. He purred up at her, then pounced away. She tossed her bag and her shoes on the counter that separated the kitchen area from the sitting area. The only other rooms were her bedroom and bathroom. She went to her room first, unzipping her dress and casting it to the floor as she went. The blood and alcohol had ruined it. She fished out a large black tee shirt from her dresser and threw it over her head before turning and heading to the bathroom.

Pulling the glass out of her foot was a painful process. It took more than half of an hour to remove all of the pieces and clean the cuts before wrapping her foot up with gauze bandages. Dansei rubbed against her leg as she sat on the edge of the tub, draining the bloody water from where she'd washed her foot. She scratched behind his ears as she stared off into space. The uncomfortable chill ran down her spine once more. She stood and pulled her hair out of the high bun. She washed the makeup off of her face, trying to relax and ease some of the tension of the day away.

I need a cigarette, she thought. She pushed the door to the bathroom open. Dansei dashed through her legs, hissing. She noticed the hair standing up on his back and neck. His tail was three times its normal size. She frowned. She walked through her bedroom and stepped out into the sitting room.

"Dansei?" she asked. She looked around, searching for the orange cat, but did not see him right away. She looked towards the door, and froze.

* * *

M'kay, so this is the first fic I've posted in a while. Here's to hoping it's a decent one!

Let me know what you think- brutal honesty. (Even the negative...)

Disclaimer goes here - *blah, blah, not mine, blah, blah, I own nothing, blah, blah, don't sue me, blah, blah, blah...*

More to come later...

Maybe.


	2. Chapter 2

The human woman had fainted. He rolled his eyes. The cat ran to her side, hissing and scratching at the air in his direction. The woman lay on the floor, and he had a chance to study the black dragon that twisted its way down her right leg. He took a step closer, examining the mark. It was identical to the dragon on his right arm. He frowned. How did a human acquire such a thing?

As he pondered the unique dragon marking on her leg, he looked around the small apartment. She had swords on every wall. The katanas were grouped together on two separate walls. She had broad swords on one wall and various other swords on the other wall. Daggers and kuni littered a display case, along with shuriken, a mace, and bladed fans. Her collection was nice, but he could tell these were not weapons she used. Simple black furniture littered the sitting area. Her kitchen was bare.

He turned towards the woman. The black shirt she wore wasn't enough to cover her properly. Taking her to demon world barely dressed was going to mean trouble, and he wasn't in the mood to deal with the demons that would want nothing more to take her and do as they pleased. The wrath of Mukuro was enough to make him wait for the woman to wake. The cat was guarding her, hissing if he moved too close.

The cat wasn't normal. He wondered if that was the odd scent he'd picked up from the woman. There was a demonic quality to the house pet he couldn't quite name with certainty. He had no idea how long the woman would remain unconscious on the floor. Impatiently, he headed for the little open window in the sitting area and perched there. The waiting game had begun.

* * *

The floor was hard and uncomfortable. She felt a throbbing pain in her foot. A flash of memory where she had pulled tiny shards of glass from her foot caused her to look down at the bandages. She couldn't remember why she was on the floor, though. She lifted herself up with her arms and looked around. Her head was pounding! Her breath caught in her throat.

He was sitting on the very edge of her window, staring down at her with burning crimson eyes. She stared into them. Those were the eyes that had been following her all night! She studied his eyes, noticing every facet of color, even from across the room. It felt like an eternity as she sat there on the floor, staring into those red orbs. She blinked and the moment was gone. His contempt for her was obvious now, and she forced the flash of anger she felt away. In it's place came recognition and cold fear. She knew what he was.

* * *

The woman had yellow eyes. It was something he had yet to notice about her. He hadn't been close enough to before now. When she'd stared up at him, he felt like his tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth. He'd been frozen, unable to look away from her intense gaze. He couldn't understand the sensation, and it disturbed him. Never had he been rendered immobile by nothing more than a look.

She slid herself backwards on the floor until her back was against the wall. She drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. He felt her fear. It was curious, this fear. He hadn't threatened the woman- yet. He stood. With slow and deliberate movements, he approached her. She flinched back away from him, and the cat hissed at him.

Her head was pounding, blood thumping in her ears. Her throat felt closed, and she had to forced air into her lungs. Her vision blurred as he approached. She felt her body gasping for air. Blinking in a vain attempt to clear her vision, she looked back into his red eyes. He stopped, looking down at her. The confusion that cast a shadow over his eyes was noticeable.

"What do you want?" she squeaked. She kept her eyes on his. No one could look her in the eyes and lie. She watched him choke on his words for a moment.

"I was sent to retrieve you," he spat. She could feel his anger. She didn't understand it.

"Why?" she whispered. She refused to blink, even with darkness threatening to close in on her. She would have been amused with his struggle for words if she wasn't so terrified of him.

"I don't know." She blinked her eyes and let her head fall with a thump against the wall behind her. The world was churning below her, but it wasn't from the alcohol she'd had earlier. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"Dansei!" she shouted. The cat was about to pounce on the strange man in her apartment. He turned his head towards her, but did not back down from his defensive position. She sighed. She didn't want to look back at the man standing before her.

"Who are you?" she asked softly.

"Hiei," he clipped.

"I'm Choko," she replied. "I'm assuming I don't have a choice about going with you." He nodded. She breathed heavily, still dizzy. She did not move from her spot on the floor. She reached out one hand and managed to rub her cat's back. He retreated to her side, allowing her to scratch his head.

"Get up," the man ordered. Her head snapped up, a cold glare in her eyes. "We need to leave."

At his words, she could feel the same uneasy spine tingle she felt before she reached her apartment complex. A new, different fear gripped her. She looked up into the man's eyes once again.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" she asked. He nodded once. Using the wall for support, she slid up to a standing position. What was she supposed to do now? She had the growing suspicion that if she stayed in her apartment, she wasn't going to live through the night. However, she also didn't trust this man who had appeared in her apartment. What choice did she have?

"Time is short," the man barked. She glanced over at him. She took in his appearance for a moment. The black cloak and sword at his side were obvious indications that he was not of her world. His hair grew straight up. She did not miss the white bandana around his forehead. The craving for nicotine filled her, and she looked around the apartment for her bag. She found it laying on the counter by the door. She stepped around her cat and grabbed the bag, fishing for her cigarettes. She found the pack and took one out. Lighter in one hand, she lit the cigarette and took a long drag.

She chose life.

"Where are you going to take me?" she asked, looking at the man who stood by the back of her black leather couch.

"Demon world," he growled. She was mildly amused by his frustration. When she looked at him, it seemed he had to answer, even though he didn't want to.

"What about my cat?" she asked. She took another drag from her cigarette and flicked the ashes into an ashtray not far away. He shrugged. "How long?" He shrugged again, but she had the distinct feeling that she wasn't going to come back anytime soon. She crushed half of her cigarette into the ashtray and moved to her burning eyes were fixed on her back until she slammed her bedroom door.

* * *

The woman was in her room for perhaps ten minutes. They had been there too long already. He could feel the energy of another demon approaching and tensed. His hand shifted to the hilt of his sword. Tension rolled though his shoulders. He was tempted to break down the girl's door and leave that instant. Instead, she came out of the room with a bag on her shoulder. She went to one of the walls in the sitting room and took one of the katanas off of its stand. She tossed it at him.

"I can promise you that sword is better than the one you have," she told him. Her fear was gone. She appeared cold and hard, like a stone. Her hair was tied back once more. He kept his eyes on her as she wandered around the apartment. He studied the blade she'd tossed him. There was an odd quality to it- something he couldn't quite name. Frustration made him want to grind his teeth. Without another look, he tied the blade to his belt to be examined later.

"Okay," she said, shoving a carton of cigarettes into the bag and zipping it shut. "Let's go then." He noticed the change in her mood, and realized this was the same way she'd acted when she fought off the boys on the street. Her entire personality had altered. From the way she held herself to the cruel slant in her eyes… she was different.

He nodded and moved closer to her. The cat jumped into her arms and he sighed. Now the cat was going as well? It didn't matter. She was needed in demon world, and he now had a strong suspicion as to why. He had been unable to lie to her. He was forced to answer when she asked him a question. He could see where such talents would come in handy for someone like Mukuro, especially considering the current circumstances.

Choko was still with the cat in her arms. He could feel the demon coming closer, and wondered if she could feel him as well. The little chill bumps that rose up on her skin told him that she did. He could feel the attack coming through the wall before it hit. He was done wasting time. In a lightening-fast move, he scooped her into his arms.

He was glad that she didn't scream when he jumped through the window. He used the rooftops of the tall buildings within the city to get away from the other demon that wanted the girl. The permanent portal that had been constructed wasn't too far away. They would be there in moments.

The blast of dark red energy shot over his shoulder. He grimaced. He felt the woman moving around in his arms. He was about to yell at her to be still, but when he glanced down at her, she was clutched her leg. She'd been struck by another blast of energy. He cursed and drew his sword, turning at the exact moment to slice off the head of their pursuer. More took its place. He did not have the time to stand and fight- not with this human burden. Annoyed, he fled.

* * *

Mukuro stood on one of the many balconies of her compound. Her arms were crossed over her chest. She could see a cloud of dust in the distance. Soldiers that be once been under her authority as one of the three demon kings marched in formation towards her. She was no longer "king", but the loss of the title hadn't meant much for her. Demons feared and respected her.

Despite the loyalty of those that remained in the territory she once ruled, there was trouble brewing somewhere deep in the heart of demon world. Since the removal of the Kekai barrier, some of the ancient demons had begun to appear.

There were creatures that lived in the deepest pits of demon world that even one such as herself could never hope to defeat. These dark and ancient demons far surpassed her in age, skill, power, and ability. They did not care to rule others. They desired only destruction. Because of sheer numbers alone, the ancient ones did not attack demon world or spirit world. The human world, however, was now free game to anyone that desired it. No demon would put his own life at risk to save a bunch of pathetic humans. At least, no real demon. There were exceptions to every rule, of course, but even the famed Yusuke Urameshi was no match for the weakest of the ancient ones.

Cold fear had washed over her. She knew that these ancient demons could destroy everything that stood in their way. Perhaps a few of them _did_ desire to rule demon world... The only thing she could be certain of was a growing threat to her own life- and to those who were loyal to her. She was not going to risk losing her life. Not after finally being set free from her hate-filled past.

Hiei.

He was strong. Powerful. She had chosen her second-in-command well. His strange sense of honor kept him loyal to her, if nothing else. She knew he was bored, so she kept him busy as often as possible. He'd been a perfect set of eyes and ears. He had even prevented attacks on her life a few times.

The most recent try for her life had come just after she sent Hiei to human world. The woman she sent him to collect was a rare treasure she had heard about in a rumor a few years back. She was human, yes, but not entirely so.

The woman had talents that could prove useful to her. Rumor stated that, much like a psychic, she could tell when someone was lying to her. But it was more than that. She could see into a person's soul. One look directly in the eyes and even the strongest demons were forced to do as she commanded. She didn't put too much stock into rumors, but this was an opportunity she refused to pass up.

She had found the woman, and there was no doubt in Mukuro's mind that she could be convinced to work for her. She was just a human, after all. Humans were weak and easy to manipulate. And she needed answers. She had to know who was behind the attacks on her soldiers and herself. This woman could give her the answers she sought. Mukuro was prepared to offer almost anything the human asked for in exchange.

"Sir!" She turned around to face the demon who had interrupted her musings. He stood at the doorway, dressed in armor and a loose tunic. His pale green skin reflected the light from the setting run. "Hiei has returned with the human." Mukuro smiled. She knew she could count on Hiei. He was back early.

"Send them up here," she said, dismissing the man with a light wave. He did not leave.

"Hiei and the woman are injured," the man reported. "It seems they were attacked in human world and followed through the barrier. They are both alive, but they need immediate medical attention." This news was cause for concern. She could only assume that Hiei's troubles could be chalked up to having to protect the human girl as well as himself. He would recover. She had rejuvenation tanks to speed the process along if necessary. The human, however, could not be healed with demon energy or methods. She was not going to risk disturbing the part of the woman that worked to her advantage. Without knowing the true nature of her abilities, Mukuro could not be too careful.

"Tell them not to heal her with their energy," she barked. The demon before her nodded and ran down the long corridor. She followed his path, but at a slower pace. She had to consider what this attack meant. Had the attack been on Hiei, or the girl?

* * *

A/N:

So... Chapter Two at last...

I don't really know what else to say about it other than: PLEASE REVIEW.

If its crap, tell me its crap.

If you like it, try to tell me why you like it or what about it that you like- it helps me out a lot.

Thanks.


	3. Chapter 3

Demons were running about, frantic to seal up the girl's wound before she bled out on the floor. Mukuro had warned them not to use their energy to attempt to heal her. Hiei couldn't help but wonder why. He sat against the far wall, watching the commotion. The entire trip had been a race. He tried to relax, but the deep slash that ran from left shoulder to right hip across his back made any hopes of relaxation impossible. Smaller cuts and scrapes littered his skin but did not concern him.

The woman across the room had not suffered terribly, but there was a wide gash on her left thigh. The not-quite-human scent of blood filled the room, and he could see the bloodlust glint in a few of their eyes. Humans were now a forbidden delicacy, and while he himself had never been interested, some of the demons present had fed on humans for centuries. This woman was not a meal, though, and he silently dared any of these demons to try. One stepped forward, a white hot knife in its hands.

Hiei wasn't sure what had caused the woman to lose consciousness, but once the fire-tipped blade touched her skin, she was awake. He could not suppress a small chuckle. She was screaming profanities left and right. It took two demons to hold the woman down. She bit one of the demons holding her down as soon as the blade left her skin. The demon seemed to be in more pain than she herself was. While amusing, Hiei knew he was losing blood faster than she had been. He head was already beginning to swim.

His eyes rested on Mukuro. She stood by the door, arms crossed over her chest, permanent scowl on her face. She surveyed the situation with the human woman first, then ordered some of the servants to run off and prepare a room for her. Hiei felt a nudge against his leg and looked down.

The human's orange tom cat rubbed its body across Hiei's leg, stretching his head up towards Hiei's hand. _Dansei_, the woman had called him. He scratched the cat's head for a moment. The sudden change in attitude was an improvement from hissing and clawing. Now in Demon World, Hiei could tell the cat was more than a typical house pet. The cat seemed to know the exact instant the woman had been released, for it bounded over to her.

Those demons that had the ability to heal surrounded him at Mukuro's command. He did not resist when they pulled the black mantle away, followed by his now tattered shirt. He grunted when two sets of hands touched the gash on his back. He could feel their energy working on the wound, closing it up and ceasing the blood flow. He slumped back against the wall when they had finished. He did not offer his thanks, nor were they expecting it.

The woman was muttering profanities under her breath, one hand hovering over the red, blistered skin that had been cauterized. Her other hand was clenched into a white- knuckled fist at her side. He could only watch as Mukuro approached her.

"Welcome to my home," the former demon king greeted with a knowing half smile.

"Not that I asked to visit, but thanks," Cho spat back. He could see some of the other demons loyal to Mukuro tense.

"I have business to discuss with you," Mukuro continued, ignoring the woman. Had any other dared to speak to her in that way, death was a certainty. This woman was important, though, and the demons in the room kept their distance. "But that can wait for now. Is there anything I can get for you?" The woman on the floor stared up at the former demon king with a suspicious glint in her eyes.

"I don't suppose I have much choice, do I?" Cho asked. Her question needed no answer. She looked around and found her bag not too far away. With an easy stretch, she grabbed the strap and pulled the bag to herself. She dug around inside the bag for a moment, then pulled out a battered pack of cigarettes and a silver lighter. "Can I smoke in here?" she asked, lighting the cigarette anyway. "Mind telling me why I'm here? Your lap dog wasn't much help in that department." Mukuro chucked. Hiei watched as the girl settled herself against the wall much as he had. She had her eyes trained on the former king, and Mukuro met the human's gaze.

"You have an ability that I have use of," Mukuro began. "I have a prisoner here I need you to... interrogate." The woman on the floor smirked.

"So you know about me too, huh?" she asked, taking another long drag from her cigarette. "Looks like I'm more popular than I thought." She leveled her gaze back at Hiei for a moment.

"I know more about you than you think," Mukuro stated. "That conversation can wait. I imagine such a wound is quite painful for a human. If there is anything you desire, you need only to ask. You are my guest here, and an invaluable tool in my arsenal." The woman didn't take the compliment with the grace he expected. She just shrugged and took another drag from her cigarette.

"Some burn cream would be nice," she answered. One of the demons in the room left at once. He could see the flash of surprise that cross the woman's features. The woman turned her gaze back to the demon before her. "I thought demons killed and ate humans?"

"Yes, but not you," Mukuro replied with a tight smile. She looked over to Hiei, and he knew before she spoke that he wasn't going to like what was coming next. "Hiei will look after you while you are here to prevent any... accidents." He grunted in reply. Whatever game Mukuro was trying to play, it was obvious that the human wasn't allowed to know all of the rules.

* * *

Demon World.

Cho stood at the balcony that overlooked a portion of the former demon king Mukuro's territories. Cigarette dangling from between her lips, she watched the strange demons lurking about on the ground below. The crimson eyes of the demon who had brought her here were on her always.

_Those damned eyes!_

She took a long drag from her cigarette and exhaled, the butt never leaving her lips. The burns on her leg stung, but she did her best to ignore the pain. The rooms she'd been given for the duration of her stay were spacious, but barely furnished. Dansei balanced on the ledge of the balcony beside her. Her hand went to his head and began scratching behind his ears. Lightning streaked the red sky.

There came a knock on the door. She turned her head to look as the door opened. A tall, thin demon with yellow skin and huge yellow eyes stood at the threshold. His lank black hair fell in front of his face, doing little to hide the large gray scar that marred his features. He held a bundle in his hands.

"What?" Hiei barked. She'd known the demon dressed in black was hiding in her room somewhere. He took a few steps forward out of the darkness of a corner on the other end of the balcony.

"M-my L-lord," the demon stuttered, "I-I br-brought the human g-g-girl some c-clothes." Hiei grunted and retreated to his spot in the dark. Cho turned her body to face the demon at the door and waved a hand for him to enter. He scurried forward, deposited the bundle on the large black table, and scurried back to the door. He looked over his shoulder at her, stealing a quick glance, then shut the door behind himself.

"Get dressed," came the snarl from the darkness. Cho narrowed her eyes at the dark corner of the room. She tossed the remainder of her cigarette over the edge of the balcony.

"Leave," she shot back. She heard his grunt, and accepted that as a no.

With an angry shrug, she headed for the table where the bundle of clothes lay. She unfolded them and held up the first piece. It was a black tunic with no sleeves. A pair of tight shorts and a belt had also been provided. She unzipped her ruined black jeans and maneuvered the coarse fabric around her new burn with gentle care. She could feel the crimson eyes on her her as she pulled the other leg down and stepped out of them. Those eyes were focused mostly on her dragon tattoo. The new, soft black cotton shorts were easy to slip into, and did not cover the burn, leaving most of her tattoo plainly visible. She peeled her shirt off and over her head, then cast it to the floor. It had little tears and holes in it, not to mention it had been stained with blood. Her tank top was next. She could feel those eyes on her back now. She ignored him as well as she could and pulled the black tunic over her head. She was surprised by how well it fit her. She grabbed the thick white belt from the table and fastened it around her hips.

"Are you going to watch me bathe, too?" she snapped over her shoulder at the demon hiding in the darkness.

"Yes," he hissed. She stamped down the rage that started to build within her. He emerged from the darkness and went straight to the door. "Mukuro is waiting for you." She narrowed her eyes at the back of his head. Since he'd first spoke to her in her apartment, the strange demon refused to look her in the eyes.

* * *

The former demon lord stood at the balcony, looking out over her territory. It had taken centuries to gain the respect she had, the power she possessed, the army she controlled. Looming over her was the uncanny certainty that she was going to lose it all. Dark powers far greater than her own threatened her own personal haven. The fear other demons felt towards her was going to be replaced by the fear they were beginning to feel now- fear of the unknown, blackest pits of demon world she'd never dared to venture to. What vicious hell loomed beyond the horizon?

Just before the door banged open with violent force, Mukuro turned to greet her guests with a cold stare. With narrowed eyes, she followed the angry fire apparition's movements. He perched himself on her balcony- a feat of balance she'd become accustomed to but still did not understand. The human woman stood near the doorway. Mukuro turned her attention to her. The new clothes the human wore revealed multiple tattoos- the most prominent being the black dragon that wrapped around her leg down to her ankle. Mukuro smirked. The mark was impressive- a feature she hadn't expected.

"Care to tell me why I'm here?" the woman asked. Mukuro's smirk faded to a scowl. The attitude this woman possessed was going to be difficult to ignore.

"Have a seat," Mukuro commanded, gesturing to one of the few chairs that littered the room. Choko sat, pulling a pack of cigarettes from the belt at her waist. She pulled a cigarette from the pack, followed by a silver lighter. Mukuro rested her back against a far wall, staring down the woman as she inhaled the thick acrid smoke and exhaled it into the room.

"I have a demon imprisoned within this compound," Mukuro began. She felt no point in wasting any more time. "I believe he may know something about the recent attacks that have occurred in my territory." Mukuro paused for a moment. She studied the human's bored expression. "He has resisted torture, as well as my attempts to enter his mind." She could feel Hiei's shock at the statement. While she was one of the most powerful psychics on this plane, there were far more powerful psychics within the planes below.

"And you want me to get the answers from him," Choko interjected. Mukuro nodded once. She had to bite down on her tongue. Few demons dared to interrupt her. Ignorance was no excuse in Mukuro's eyes, but she needed this human- more than she cared to admit.

"What else?" Hiei demanded from the balcony. Mukuro shot a dark glance his way, but soon turned her attention back to the human.

"How do you know about what I can do?" Choko asked. She exhaled another thick cloud of cigarette smoke. Ash fell from the burning tip and scattered once it hit the floor.

"I have my ways," Mukuro answered, her eyes narrow. Who was this pathetic human to question her? "Rumors travel among all three worlds, not just the human realm." That was all of the information she felt inclined to divulge.

Choko didn't seem phased. She flicked her cigarette. She looked contemplative, a smirk playing at her lips. It was annoying. Mukuro's hand clenched into a tight fist. This woman needed to be taught to show some respect, but she couldn't do that in the ways she was accustomed to. One blow, and that frail body of hers would fall to pieces.

"Will you use this power for my purposes?" Mukuro asked. The sensation of requesting something rather than demanding it was a strange sensation she did not wish to ever feel again.

"Do I have a choice?" Choko asked. Mukuro smirked. The woman knew the answer, and sighed. "I understand how things work here. If I don't do what you tell me to, then you'll kill me, right? Well, I'm not ready to die just yet."

"A rather wise deduction," Mukuro told her. She had no intention to kill the woman. Imprisonment? Yes. Torture? Maybe. Death? No. Desperation drove the former demon lord to prepare to offer this human whatever she wanted in exchange for her services. It was unusual for her to feel this way- especially towards a human. It was imperative that the human be on her side in this. If she was not, the consequences could be dire… for any number of people.

Choko spoke up, "Before you take me to this demon, I'd like something to eat. A nap would be nice, too, but I won't push it."

Mukuro smirked. The little human was far more cooperative than she'd expected. She left the wall and approached the woman. There was no fear in her posture or expression- only resignation. Wonderful. "I am aware of the limitations you humans suffer from," Mukuro told her. "We will begin tomorrow. A demon will be sent to your room with food. If you require anything, tell him and he will fetch it for you. Hiei will escort you."

Hiei understood that the conversation was over and he was on his feet with a lightning-fast move. Choko stood to follow him out the door, but paused when she reached the threshold. She rested one hand on the jamb and turned to look at Mukuro over her shoulder. She looked like she wanted to add something, but seemed to think better of it. She dropped her hand to her side and started after Hiei. Mukuro turned her attention back to the horizon. What was this foreboding sense of danger that lingered there?

* * *

A/N:

And now we have chapter three...

I wonder how long I can keep this story up...

Reviews will help, btw ;p


	4. Chapter 4

The winding labyrinth stretched more than ten floors. Cho sighed, frustrated at the complexity of the building. She'd never be able to find her way around this insane compound. Her frustration was moot- she couldn't wander this place if she wanted to. Even if she did find a way to rid herself of the ever-present angry fire demon, she'd likely be eaten by any of the other countless demons that roamed the place. She was a human prisoner in this demon's paradise.

Torches along the walls threw dim light to the floor. They provided just enough light for her to see where she was going. She'd awoken in the middle of the night, and while she expected the demon lord who had her brought to this place to be asleep, she was proven wrong. Hiei summoned the demon who acted as her personal servant and she was able to eat and bathe and change into clean clothes.

Cho's train of thought was interrupted when Mukuro and Hiei stopped at a large door. It was steel and had several locks along the jamb. Two demons armed to the teeth guarded the door. Without a word, one turned and unlocked the door for the demon lord. He pushed it open and stepped aside. Mukuro entered first. Hiei grunted at Cho, indicating that she should enter next. She stepped forward.

The sight that greeted Cho wasn't one she'd been expecting. She thought of uniform cells, dimly lit- maybe cold, dank air. Instead, it was bright. The light hurt her eyes and she stumbled along behind Mukuro for a blind minute. When she did regain her vision, she noticed how white and clean everything was. The rest of the compound wasn't dirty, but it also didn't reek of disinfectant. The odd body-part littered halls and various rooms did not exist in this room- it was vast and open.

The only prisoner Cho could see was propped against a wall not too far away. The room seemed endless, but that could have been a trick of the light on her eyes. Why wasn't this demon restrained? Cho bit down on her lip, forbidding herself to speak. She had to make it seem like she wasn't stupid.

In reality, she knew nothing of this place or the demons at her front and back. For all she knew, they might get their answers and leave her in this room with the other demon to rot or be eaten. Her only other option was certain death. She had made her choice to live earlier, but now she wondered if death was the better alternative in this situation.

The demon on the wall did not look up at their approach. Even with his odd purple-tinted skin and difficult features, Cho understood that he'd been starved. Perhaps it was the sunken eyes and sharp cheekbones, or the ribs that protruded from his contorted chest. She wasn't sure what gave her the impression.

Mukuro stopped only a few short paces away from him. Hiei moved to the unknown demon's side. He snatched the greasy, matted clump of orange hair that rested on the top of his head and jerked it back. The demon had flat red eyes that peered up at Cho. She could read confusion in his expression. And then hunger. Deep, feral hunger that made her own full stomach tighten. She felt the vomit rise up in the back of her throat, but she swallowed hard, forcing it back down. Showing weakness here would only get her killed. She crouched and stared into his eyes. Those over-large dull red orbs glossed over, threatening to roll back into his skull.

"Ask him his name," Mukuro bit. Choko took a deep breath.

"What is your name?" she asked. She stared into the black pupils that dilated at her words. She'd never been given the chance to watch what happened to the eyes themselves when she spoke to a person. This demon provided her the opportunity. His eyes were almost as big as her fist.

"Kotaru," the demon growled after a moment of stiff silence. Cho glanced up to see Mukuro's smirk of satisfaction.

"Who sent you?" Mukuro asked. Her tone was harsh, unforgiving.

"Who sent you here?" Cho demanded. There was resistance, now, like when someone tried to lie to her. She frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. She could see his lips moving, like he was trying to answer her, but no sound came out. "Tell me!" She'd shouted this time, startling the demon in front of her. He could not answer, and as she studied his eyes, she felt she knew why.

"Well?" Mukuro demanded. Choko sighed.

"He doesn't know," she breathed. She stood up slowly. "He might have known, once, but the information isn't there anymore." She could not explain how she knew this. It was instinctual. She'd stared into those nearly lifeless windows to the demon's soul. There was nothing there- no twinkle of information to be gleaned from him.

Mukuro cursed. She turned on her heel and stomped from the room. Cho turned to see Hiei pull his blade from the sheath at his side. The cut across the demon's throat was so fast and clean, it took several seconds for the blood to begin to seep out of the slit in the skin. Cho looked on with no sympathy. This demon was useless. There was no point in allowing him to live a moment longer.

No mercy. Not here, in this _demon_ world. Mercy was a luxury that no powerful demon lord could afford. Cho understood her place, her role. She was a tool- only so valuable for what little she could provide for the demons around her. She turned and stalked out of the room much as the demon before her had, but without the anger and cold rage that threatened to fill the room. Cho was hollow, without feeling if not without thought.

The walk out of the white room seemed to take longer than walking in. A part of her was petrified that the big door would slam shut and lock her inside. So far, she hadn't proven her worth. How could she show these demons that she was useful? Her mind wandered.

She needed a drink... something strong. Alcohol always managed to relax her and bring out what she'd always referred to as her other side. She knew that this other side to her personality was stronger than she herself was. She needed this other side. She herself was weak. With a heavy sigh, Cho meandered through the halls, back up countless flights of stairs. She knew Hiei was following behind her, watching her with those brutal crimson eyes that she hated.

* * *

The woman roamed for a while, going back they way she'd been led. She was curious, poking her head around corners, listening for tidbits of open conversation. He had no desire to return to the room that served as her prison- it was his too, in a way. Mukuro's orders were to not let the girl from his sight. Bound as he was to the former demon lord, he did not disobey.

The air grew less stagnant as they climbed more flights of stairs. He watched the human decide to go away from her previous course- venturing to be bold. There was something to be said about the woman's courage, he supposed. His rhetoric was lacking, though, and he felt no need to voice his opinion of her in any account.

For all that had not been learned in this most recent interaction with the now deceased prisoner, one key fact had been obtained: whoever was sending these demons was powerful. Psychics were uncommon enough on this plane. To learn of a far more powerful psychic from below was disheartening to say the least.

The sole question Hiei needed answering was: what now? If this demon was so powerful, why not just rise up and squash the present demons? Then he supposed that it was a question of when, not why. He placed himself in the position of his enemy (for any enemy of Mukuro's was his own). He thought about it in terms of he himself attempting to take over the human world. The gain wasn't as significant, but the similarities were close enough. Dominating most of the humans would prove no challenge at all. However, there were anomalies, such as the detective, who could rise to oppose him. His time in the human world had given him the impression that more freak beings similar to Yusuke must exist somewhere else in the world. Given that assumption, his rise to power over the humans could be challenged and he could be defeated. Waiting and learning about those more talented (if not necessarily more powerful) humans would prove beneficial. In time, he could dispatch agents to take down those threats before he stepped forward to seize control.

Certain that Mukuro had already come to this conclusion, he kept his thoughts to himself. Another thought occurred to him. This demon must regard him as he regarded the female before him- weak, useless without proper motivation. The thought enraged him.

No matter the strength of his unknown enemy, he detested any thought of weakness within himself. He'd gained so much power in the last several years- mastering the Dragon of the Darkness Flame being his most famous move. By degrees, and under the strict training Mukuro had provided for him, he'd grown even stronger. He silently dared this unknown enemy to challenge him.

The human woman before him seemed ignorant of her true situation and purpose. She was only so valuable as to inform on the demon that challenged Mukuro and to keep her out of anyone else's grasp. The problem Mukuro now faced was the lack of information to be taken. Where her attempts at penetrating the demon's mind had failed, the human had succeeded. That, in and of itself, was a talent he had to recognize. But was there a way to make those talents stronger?

"Dansei!" Choko shouted. The lanky orange tom had pounced on a jaki no bigger than a rat from human world. The tiny demon screeched from under the cat's bloodstained claws. A chuckle built up in Hiei's chest, but it came out as a grunt. He was above giving any of these demons (or the single human) his laughter.

The cat began to snack on the tiny demon. Hiei did not blame the cat- he hadn't seen the creature eat more than a few bites of the food Choko gave him from her own plate. He made a mental note to have the servants bring the cat his own fish from now on. The cat could eat as many jaki as he liked, as far as Hiei was concerned, but at some point Mukuro would speak out against it. They had good memories, and she often sent them out as spies.

"Where can a girl get a decent drink around here?" the woman asked, turning to face Hiei. He scowled. He considered the options. This woman was to be given anything she desired- within reason. Leaving the safety of the compound was not an option. Hiei felt no desire to tote this woman around the demon plane- protecting her from various demons of all sorts. Not to mention those demons that had followed them from the human world… Had those demons been sent by the same unnamed enemy who was trying to kill Mukuro? No other attempts at the human woman's life had been made... yet.

"Ask your servant," Hiei snapped. His chilly attitude seemed to have no effect on her. It irked him that what many demons would cringe at had no effect on this weak human.

The demon must have been close by, for he came jogging over to them. His head was down, refusing to look the woman in the eyes. For that, Hiei could not blame him. He'd felt that woman's power, and he detested it.

"Yes, my lady?" the demon asked. Hiei cringed. The human did not deserve to be referred to as a _lady_.

"Can you bring me some alcohol?" she asked. He nodded and scampered away. She turned to look at Hiei. "Will you take me to my room?" He didn't answer her, just turned to leave. She called out one last time before the demon could get very far. "Make sure it's strong!" Dansei shot out in front of him (jaki still in his jaws), leading the way while the woman followed behind.

* * *

A/N: Chapter four! Can you believe it?! I sure as hell can't...

So yeah... this does get better... at least, I think it does...

The next two chapters were super fun to write (yes, they're already done).

(Doubt anyone really reads this crap, but...)

_**THANK YOU** to Just 2 Dream of You_! Her awesome Hiei-radar is a true gift. I would grovel at her feet if I possibly could.

So, um... Yeah, I guess that's all.

Wait.

No it's not.

If you see any grammatical errors, please, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS YU YU HAKUSHO, tell me!

*disclaimer goes here* - I always forget this part. It's in my profile.

Thanks for reading, and remember, reviews make for happy authors! (And they make chapters post faster too!)


	5. Chapter 5

Choko eyed the dark brown liquid in the glass with suspicion. The bottle had no label. She had no name or description to tell her what it might be like. The demon who'd brought it stood at the door. She stared at him.

"What _is_ this?" she asked. The smell was foul- like an unholy mix of mint and black liquorice with hits of pure alcohol and faint cherry. She hated cherry-flavored anything. She risked a taste, and her face screwed up in disgust. Not only did the harsh liquor start to burn the moment it touched her tongue, but it tasted worse than the cheapest bottom-shelf whisky she'd ever had. She shuddered when she finished the shot. She looked down at the now-empty glass in her hand and contemplated pouring another.

When she looked up to eye the demon who'd brought it, her eyes widened. Hiei was standing before the cowering demon, the blade of his sword pressed against the demon's neck.

"What the hell?" Cho snapped. Hiei ignored her, but she'd been expecting that.

"What did you give her?" Hiei seethed.

"O-o-ogre K-k-k-killer," the demon stuttered out.

"Fool!" Hiei shouted. "She is a _human_." Choko might have protested at the way he spat out the word "human", but she was too curious to interrupt. Ogre Killer? What sort of drink was that?

"S-she a-a-asked for s-s-something s-strong!" the demon wailed, beyond frightened. He was hunched down in the corner, trying to draw himself away from Hiei's blade.

"Get out," Hiei demanded, pulling his sword just far enough away for the demon to scurry out of the room. He turned to eye her warily. She didn't feel any different- a tad tipsy from the absurdly-strong shot, but no adverse effects yet.

"What's Ogre Killer?" Cho asked, eyeing the bottle once more. "Besides the obvious," she added, narrowing her eyes in Hiei's direction. He didn't answer her, just kept staring. Annoyance burned under her skin.

"It's a death sentence," he muttered. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the small bottle. She still held the glass in her hand and aimed to refill it, but Hiei's hand had snatched the bottle off of the table before she reached it. With a sigh, she left the glass on the table and headed for the chair she'd left by the balcony. It was obvious that he wasn't going to let her have the bottle, and she was no match for a demon's speed or strength.

As she walked, she felt the liquor altering her vision. She'd never been affected by any alcohol so quickly! Hell, it had taken over half of a fifth of Jack Daniel's to get her this trashed the other night- not to mention all of the shots she'd had at the bar… Her tolerance was ridiculous for someone her size. She'd gone too many years drinking steadily.

The room was spinning by the time she reached the chair and she was grateful to sit down. She fished her cigarettes from the inside of her belt and fumbled with the pack before pulling one out. The lighter was harder to operate. Her fingers weren't following her commands. After a few moments of struggle, she was able to light the tip and she sucked in the smoke.

The world fell into waves of rolling colors. Not only did she feel drunk, she felt like she'd just eaten the most potent mushrooms she'd ever come across. She felt the goofy smile play at her lips as she watched the bolts of lightning streak the red sky. Everything felt slower to her, more exaggerated. The bright flashes of light transformed into white and yellow goddesses that danced from the heavens to the hell on the ground. The dark clouds were various animals that constantly morphed into others, blending and changing faster than she could name them.

Remembering the cigarette between her fingertips, she lifted it to draw in another lungful of smoke. Her eyes focused on the blazing tip as she inhaled, watching the close-up tobacco crackle and burn, turning to ash. Her gaze drifted away and found the beautiful tattoo on her leg- it was moving along her skin, a twisting and dancing leviathan of grace and elegance.

This was Ogre Killer? She inhaled another breath of smoke, her eyes watching the tip change as the paper and tobacco turned to ash before her. She decided she liked it. Her skin tingled, like a powerful electric charge danced millimeters away. She was warm, too, her insides blazing with comforting fire.

Just as soon as she had become accustomed to the images dancing before her and the tingling sensation of her skin, everything began to fade away once more. The flush of warmth left her skin first. The ever changing clouds slowed, morphing into basic repeating patterns instead of fully-formed animals. The bolts of lightning were no longer the magnificent goddesses that whirled around and around until they exploded in the hell on the ground. The tip of her cigarette was still fascinating, but it no longer captured her attention as it did before. The tattoo on her skin no longer moved, but she still felt like it looked more alive than she'd ever seen it before.

The world relaxed once more, falling back into its usual color patterns. She sighed, wishing the effects had lasted longer. It brought back thoughts of years long past, of a time when she was in a constant state of either drunk or high off of one drug or another. She pushed the memories that were threatening to wash over her away and stood up, glancing around for the bottle Hiei had taken from her.

The fire demon was perched on the extreme edge of the balcony once more. He had his eyes closed, but a creepy third eye on his forehead was wide open. It was the first time she'd seen it. It was a bright purple color and glowed slightly. She felt the peculiar urge to poke it- did it feel like a normal eye? It couldn't have been natural… she assumed that if it was natural, it would have been the same color as his other two eyes.

A tingle ran down her spine, a spark of heat followed by a rush of bone-chilling cold. Hiei's eyes snapped open at the same moment.

"Move," he growled. His hand shot out and hit her hard on the shoulder, knocking her several feet back and on her ass. She groaned and rolled over, the remaining effects of the alcohol distorting the world as she struggled to find her way back to her feet. Although sounds were muffled by the rush of blood pounding in her ears, she was aware of a confrontation taking place close by. She opened her eyes, trying to find the source of the noise.

Blurred images flashed before her. The small dark object she was sure was Hiei, but there were other smears of color twisting around him. She lurched forward, somehow on her feet, though she didn't feel like she was standing. The colors rushed and changed around her, she felt like she was spinning, her arms and legs moving without her control.

_This_ was Ogre Killer. Her pulse sounded in her ears. Her eyes could not focus. Her body moved, but her limbs felt like she were dragging them through water. There was pressure all around, but she felt little resistance. She might have been holding something, but she could not tell for sure. Nothing felt real, like she was in some bizarre under-water dream of vivid, blurred streaks of color.

All at once, the world came to an abrupt halt. Reality crashed into her hard. Her entire body felt like molten lead and she hit the floor, unable to support herself.

* * *

Hiei looked on in stunned silence. There were four bodies on the floor. One of them was the human woman. He'd felt their presence only seconds before they arrived. He'd shoved the woman out of the way, knocking her to the floor. He'd drawn his sword, readying himself to defend her. He could see the intent in the demons' minds- they wanted the female.

The moment they landed in the room, he launched forward. One of the demons blocked his initial assault with four razor-sharp claws. He'd been distracted, aiming to cut off the demon's hand and also defend himself from the other set of vicious claws that swiped at his gut. He hadn't noticed the woman's movements until she'd stepped behind him, snatching the other katana from its sheath. He hadn't bothered to get rid of the extra blade yet.

Choko's movements distracted his attacker as well. He managed to recover first, thrusting his blade forward into the demon's chest. His attention was ripped away from the other two demons as the woman moved forward, blade in hand. Her eyes were narrowed and dark. She had zero skill with the blade in her hand, but she did manage to block several heavy blows from the demon directly in front of her, slicing his hands to ribbons. She was swinging the blade like a baseball bat, hacking at scaly flesh. He took the moment of pure chaos and darted forward, removing the head of the third demon in one swift move.

The woman was covered in the demon's blood, an insane smile on her face. He tried to see into her mind, but he was assaulted instead by a rage of color and sensation that did not match up with the way the woman now held herself. She left the blade half-buried in the chest cavity of the lizard demon before her. She took a step away from him.

Then she'd smacked into the floor with enough force to crack her skull- he'd heard the crunch of bone. He was glued in place for a long moment, staring at her with incredulity. She'd been so drunk three minutes ago she could barely stand! How was she moving like that?

The door banged against the wall as several members of Mukuro's select guard rushed in. Mukuro herself was not far behind. They took stock of the situation, and most had varying expressions of shock.

"What the _hell_ happened here?" Mukuro demanded, rounding on Hiei. He scowled at her, then pointed the end of his katana to Choko.

"Your fool of a servant for her brought her Ogre Killer when she made the request for alcohol," Hiei stated. "Those three showed up, she took that blade, and hacked that demon to pieces." Mukuro eyed him, trying to fill in the missing pieces of his story.

"Get this filth cleaned up!" she barked. He followed her out to the hall.

"She was drunk," he grunted. "She couldn't even stand up straight. Then she… changed. I tried to look into her mind but I couldn't understand any of it."

Mukuro swore under her breath. "Is she injured?" Hiei nodded once. "Where?"

"She cracked her head open when she fell," he answered. Mukuro nodded.

He sat back, watching the mess of demons scrambling around the room. The low-level servants scurried around, a few handling the human woman and the rest working on the mess of the demon bodies. Her clothes were stripped away and her body was cleaned before she was left under the thin sheet. One of the demons with healing abilities studied the injury on her head. He was forced to use his energy to heal the wound.

Mukuro bitched at the guards, demanding to know why these three demons had slipped by their security. She threatened each of their lives personally if such _mistakes_ were made a second time.

They were lucky. The first demon that Hiei incapacitated was still alive. For the sake of keeping the demon around long enough to get answers from him, the worst of his wounds were healed and he was thrown into the cell where prisoners were kept. Hiei was left in the room with the woman.

* * *

The demon lay on the floor of the white room. The bright light and pure white walls gave the optical illusion of an endless room. He groaned at the physical abuse from the other two demons standing over him. Mukuro held up one hand and they ceased their actions.

She focused on the demon's mind, delving deep into his consciousness with more than surprising ease. She'd expected resistance or vast voids of nothing as with her other prisoner. This was nothing more than a hired thug, she realized.

"Who sent you?" she hissed.

"Some guy!" the demon wailed. "He had a mask- paid up front!" He was scrambling along the floor, trying to escape the blows of the other demons. They stopped him from moving, but did not harm him further- for the moment.

"What did he say, exactly?" Mukuro demanded. She watched the flashes of memory rippling through the demon's mind, but didn't make much sense of the images.

"He said that you had a human dame locked up here," the demon answered quickly. "Said he wanted her for himself. I didn't get no details, lady. I just do the job and collect!" The images of his memories made more sense now. The masked figure sat at a dark table, nursing a glass. A bag lay on the table between them, along with a battered photograph of a much younger version of the woman she'd retrieved from living world.

She turned away from him, ignoring his pleas for release and his following screams of pain as he was beaten to death. She left the white room, heading for a place to sit and think.

If the same person who'd been sending assassins after Mukuro had tried for the girl, then these demons would have no memories to speak of- only orders. Someone else wanted the human- but who? There was a vast number of possibilities. She thought of the rumor about the girl and wondered just how many others that sleazy demon had told, looking for bigger and better payoffs. She'd start with him.

* * *

When Choko woke, she felt disoriented. She did not open her eyes. Instead, she turned over on her side and curled up in the sheet that had been draped over her. A frown formed on her lips when she realized she was naked. She thought back, trying to remember what had happened. Her last memory was of the raging colors of the sky and the beautiful white and yellow goddesses that twirled around and around before exploding into glorious plumes of fire and smoke.

"Get up," a voice growled close by. She sighed and ignored the command, wrapping the sheet tighter around her shoulders. "Now!" Her eyes flashed open.

"Why?" she shot back, finding the pair of hate-filled crimson eyes that belonged to that cruel voice only a few feet away. He stood at the edge of her bed, gripping the katana she'd given him shortly before he'd taken her away from her home. She felt Dansei curled up against her back, providing her with warmth.

"Tell me about this," he demanded, thrusting the sword forward. She rolled her eyes.

"I stole it," she answered simply. "It was a long time ago. There was a legend about it or something, but I don't remember it. I just remember that it was called the Demon Slayer." His eyes flashed between the blade and her, his expression blank.

"Why did you give this to me?" he managed after a moment. Cho shrugged.

"Instinct," she answered simply. "Like how I knew that demon earlier had nothing to tell. It's a gut feeling. I learned to trust it a long time ago." He said nothing. Instead, he turned away from her, leaving the sword on the table before taking up his usual perch on the far corner of the balcony.

She sat up slowly, keeping the sheet tucked tightly around her shoulders. She wondered who'd undressed her and why they did it. Her first assumption was that she must've puked on herself, but she quickly abandoned the idea. She hadn't been sick from the effects of alcohol in several years. She never even had hangovers. Besides, she realized as she took stock of herself, the horrible aftertaste of vomit didn't linger on her tongue.

"What happened?" she chanced after a long pause of silence. Dansei had crawled into her lap. She left the sheet tucked under her arms to cover herself and ran her fingers over the soft fur on his back and head. He purred contentedly.

"You killed a demon," Hiei stated with little inflection. He sounded bored or tired. She looked over at him. He was sitting perfectly still, that strange purple eye on his forehead was open and glowing again. She frowned.

"What?" That made no sense. When had she killed a demon? She wasn't capable of something like that! It wasn't the aspect of murder that made her stomach churn, but rather the thought of going toe-to-toe with a demon. She shivered.

"Fool," he bit. "You took the sword and hacked a demon to pieces. What more do you need to know?" She paled and her eyes went to the blade resting on the table. The sheath was dark red and the hilt was wrapped in black. How had she managed to kill a demon?

A more important question dawned on her. _Why_ had she killed a demon? What circumstances had forced her into that sort of suicide mission?

"Why?" she asked, looking back to Hiei. His eyebrows drew together with obvious annoyance.

"He was attacking you," he grunted out. She didn't feel any better. She couldn't remember anything! Blackouts usually left her feeling disoriented and confused, but this felt like an entire new level of strange.

_Then again_, she thought miserably, _I __**am**__ in demon world_.

* * *

A/N:

Little action for ya there...

Thank you, again, to **Just 2 Dream of You**. Woman, you are a goddess and I don't know _what_ I would do without you.

Notice any mistakes? Tell me, please. I'd like to know.

So um... I guess that's all.

Review, please! :3


	6. Chapter 6

In the matter of a few short hours, Mukuro, Choko, and Hiei all stood over the squirmy demon that provided the rumor of the human woman to the former demon lord. He sat in a chair, his beady pink eyes darting between the three who stood before him. Choko caught his eyes and he fell still.

"Who all did you tell this rumor to?" Choko demanded. The demon whined and twitched under her steady gaze. She leaned forward, peering deeper into the tiny eyes that tried to break away from her.

"Lotsa people!" the demon squealed. "I don't remember everyone!" Choko frowned, unsatisfied with his answer.

"I want names!" she screamed. Her anger was boiling over. Her fists were clenched at her side, and she had to fight the urge to wrap her fingers around his skinny, slimey neck. He screamed.

A hand on her shoulder pulled Choko away gently. Her dark look flicked to Mukuro, but the demon wisely kept her own gaze on the demon sitting before them. Bright orange blood had begun to pour from the creature's nose. She kept her eyes trained on his, but he was focused only on the floor.

"Open your mind to me," Mukuro commanded softly. "Allow me to see the faces of these demons and I will find them myself." The demon in the chair shuddered. Choko watched in silence, her arms crossed over her chest.

After she'd showered, eaten, and dressed, she and Hiei both had been summoned by Mukuro. Before they'd entered the room with the demon in the chair, Mukuro felt the need to explain things to her.

* * *

_"I've had a demon brought here," Mukuro began. "This demon deals in rumors. He provided me with the information about you, Choko." At this, Cho's eyes widened. She felt rage ignite under her skin. This entire situation was beginning to remind her of the time she'd been involved with the Black Black Club. Gondawara Suzeko had used similar methods of tracking her down and "requesting" her services._

_"Why is he here?" Cho asked, her eyes narrowing. Her stomach was doing flips. Memories of her time with the members of the Black Black Club and her descent into darkness flashed in her mind._

_"The three demons that arrived earlier today were hired to retrieve you," Mukuro continued. "Hiei left one of them alive and I was able to gather a little information from him. Whomever sent those demons learned about you from the same source I did. That source is in the next room."_

_"Why are so many people after me?" Cho asked. She didn't understand how her meager talent had garnered so much curiosity._

_"I showed interest in you," Mukuro answered simply. "When I want something, several others then decide that it might be a good idea to have that something for themselves. In this case, it just happens to be you."_

_Again, her days under Gondawara resurfaced. The moment he'd contacted her and contracted her to himself exclusively, others began vying for her as well. Some took her refusal with grace- others tried to use force. She'd been in a constant haze of violence and drugs, seeking any high to rid of herself of the fear that choked her each day. After one attack left her with a bullet hole in her abdomen, she'd been moved to Gondawara's mansion to remain under supervision at all times._

_"Kill him," Cho stated with a shrug. "Do what you want with him, then kill him. I don't need any more of this shit." She'd turned to leave, but she stopped when the two demons by the door moved to block her way out. She sighed and turned back around. Mukuro's lips were pressed into a thin smile._

_"Why don't you begin his interrogation?" Mukuro suggested. Choko was tempted to say no, but she knew without being told that she didn't have a choice._

* * *

Mukuro turned away from the demon sitting in front of her. Cho's rage had built up to her breaking point, and she lashed out, her fist striking the side of the demon's head with as much force as she could muster. She'd known it would do little physical harm to the demon, but the physical release was magnificent. She punched him three more times before his thick orange blood mixed with her thin red blood on her scraped knuckles.

"Feel better?" Mukuro asked sarcastically. Cho shrugged. She wished she had a knife. The desire to cut the demon's tongue from his mouth was impossible to ignore. "There were four faces I could identify clearly. I'll have these demons brought here. I will not tolerate any form of attempted theft." Cho scowled at the floor. She was an object to these demons, not a person.

"Done with him?" Cho asked, gesturing to the shaking demon on the chair. Mukuro nodded once. Hiei was suddenly behind the demon, his sword drawn and pressed to the demon's neck. His eyes flashed to Mukuro's first, but then rested on Cho. She caught his gaze in a split-second mistake on his part. She held him there. The blade in his hand shook with the force he was using to attempt to look away from her.

This was an interesting development. She'd known before that her abilities had a different effect on demons. Her time with Gondawara taught her that much. What she'd failed to realize, however, was just how powerful her stare was. Hiei stood before her now, locked in place and unable to move.

"Let me," she whispered darkly. She looked away, releasing him from her stare. He hesitated. Cho could feel Mukuro's eyes on her back, burning her skin. She must have nodded or otherwise signaled Hiei, for the fire demon lowered the blade and took a step back. Cho held out her hand and he reluctantly surrendered the katana.

The face of the man who'd been the source of the rumors back home flashed in her mind: his greasy black hair and squirly gray eyes and that slash of a mouth that always seemed to smirk. She'd ended his life as well, but not before the damage his words had caused had already been done. Her eyes refocused on the demon in the chair. Again, death came too late. This demon's rumors about her were already in circulation.

Her grip tightened on the hilt and she stabbed the demon in the center of his chest. He cried out in pain, and she felt a surge of satisfaction at the sound. One sharp twist of the blade embedded in his chest and his screams increased in both pitch and volume. She felt the grin alter her features. The cacophony coming from the demon was a chorus of angels to her ears. Her heart raced and she sighed with pleasure. When she tore the blade from his body, his screams fell silent and his head rolled forward, his entire body slumping over.

Tossing the blade back to Hiei, she turned to stalk from the room, catching the amused looks from the demons by the door as she passed them. Once she was away from them, she stopped and leaned against the wall of an empty corridor. For this moment, she felt no eyes on her. She took a deep breath and allowed her fear to take its place.

Four demons besides Mukuro wanted her. A war within the black market had begun last time she was wanted- the crime lords of the Black Black Club spared no expense in trying to win her from Gondawara. She'd suspected that she herself was the one thing the old man would never try to bet. There'd been more than twenty-two members of the Black Black Club involved in that war. Four demons, with powers her human mind could only guess at, might have been trying for her now. Dread made her want to vomit.

When the burning eyes she detested were on her once more, she straightened. Rigid posture belied her internal shaking. Cutting her stare in the direction she felt those eyes coming from, she frowned.

"What?" she snapped. He did not answer. She rolled her eyes and headed for the direction of her room. Having travelled this particular route before, she felt certain she knew the way. She couldn't hear his footsteps, but she knew Hiei was following her. Her mind wandered as she walked.

* * *

_Gondawara stood before her, his sickening smile making her stomach turn. The dimly lit lounge did not allow for her to see too many of the man's physical features, but she was disgusted by the sight of him nonetheless._

_"Please excuse us," Gondawara said to the others around her. She was mildly surprised when all but two men stood and left the room. Her heart sank when she realized what was about to happen._

_"What do you want?" she drolled, her false bravado making her seem uninterested._

_"A contract with you, my dear," the older man stated, his voice dripping with unspoken threats. He sat down across from her in a plush arm chair. He lit a cigarette and exhaled, his smoke joining the cloud already gathered at the ceiling._

_"Can I get one of those?" she asked. He nodded and flipped open the silver case to retrieve another rolled cigarette. She leaned forward to accept it and leaned a little closer to light the tip with the flame he provided. The cigarette was rich- Turkish, if she wasn't mistaken. She preferred her menthols._

_"There's a rumor going through the mill about you," he stated, relaxing back into his chair. One of the men brought him a glass of scotch on the rocks. She rolled her eyes. Ice ruined the flavor. "It is said that you cannot be lied to." Cho shrugged in response. "That's a rather useful talent- one I find myself in need of."_

_"How much and for how long?" she asked. She'd known his intentions the moment he'd walked into the room. He wanted to buy her. He laughed, the sound filling the room and hurting her ears._

_"Clever girl," he praised. He took a sip from his scotch before continuing. "Seventy thousand every week for the next six months."_

Big numbers_, she thought lazily, _but I should ask for more…

_"Make it a solid one hundred and we'll talk," she drawled. The man chuckled, but she noticed his nervousness now. She relaxed into the soft velvet couch, crossing her legs and her arms._

_"Money is no object," he stated. She rolled her eyes. Money was the __**only**__ object. She'd never had direct dealings with the Black Black Club before, but she had heard her fair share of rumors. "The question is- can you prove yourself?"_

_"Come here," she said, waving her arm to one of the men on the far end of the room. He shuffled forward. She looked him over and almost choked on her cigarette. He was not human. The disguise was poor- she could see eight tiny horns protruding from his forehead and the awkward slant of four black eyes. She patted the cushion beside her, unwilling to sit up again._

_"Yes?" he asked expectantly as he settled himself on the long couch. She did not look him in the eyes, but rather focused on his mouth. It was full of razor sharp pointed teeth. A chill crawled over her skin._

_"I'm going to ask you your name," she stated plainly. "Whatever you do, do not tell me." He nodded, but she could see his confusion._

_Her eyes moved upward, settling on the top pair of his four eyes. They were almost solidly black, but there was a small circle of lighter gray that signified the start of his pupils. She exhaled a lungful of cigarette smoke in his face, but he didn't blink or pull away._

_"What is your name?" she breathed. The demon's mouth fell open. She watched him struggle against her and almost laughed._

_"Hukarishu," he answered after only a short moment. She cut her eyes towards Gondawara, releasing the demon from her stare. He gasped in air. "How… how did you…?"_

_"That's my talent, sweetheart," she answered with a smirk, looking into his eyes again. His body froze in the middle of his trying to stand. She frowned, curious. The man in the chair across from her stole her attention once more, though, and Hukarishu scampered over to the far side of the room once more._

_"Impressive," the old man whispered. "Your talent works on humans, too, right?" She nodded. "Excellent. What do you say to my terms Miss…"_

_"Choko," she told him. She leaned forward to crush her cigarette into the already-full ashtray. Typical. He'd come here to find her and didn't even know her name…_

_"Miss Choko, then," Gondawara added. "Do we have a deal?" She sat back once more, considering his words._

_"What do you expect me to do?" she asked. She wasn't going to jump into this blindly. Experience warned her against men like this._

_He chuckled. "Exactly what you just did, my dear. Ask questions and get answers. There are demons and humans alike who need to answer for their sins, but I'd like to hear their admission come from their own lips before I execute them."_

Sick, twisted son-of-a-bitch_, Cho thought. "When?" she asked instead._

_"Tonight, if you want," he chuckled. "I am a busy man, Miss Choko, but I can always make time to see my enemies suffer. Should you agree to my terms, you will be given a cellular phone that only receives calls. You will be contacted one hour before someone will be sent to collect you. Fail to adhere to these terms and I assure you, you will regret it."_

_Threats meant little to her anymore. Death had been promised to her more times than she could remember, yet here she was- still alive. She managed to avoid danger to her life somehow. She considered her options. She was certain that the other members of the Black Black Club would come to call in due time. Holding out for bigger and better offers was likely to lead to more trouble than she was willing to take on._

_"I'm assuming that you are only the first person to find me," she told him. "I can't help but wonder about the others who will come to call- asking for the same thing as you. How much will they offer, do you think?" The man began to shake._

_"Hukarishu!" Gondawara shouted. The tall, thin demon appeared at his side. "I am going to add you to Miss Choko's contract. You will go with her everywhere and serve as her personal bodyguard. Your new job will be to discourage others from attempting to persuade her to work for them." Cho narrowed her eyes. This was a dangerous game. Not only was this demon her personal escort, he was also a perfect spy._

_"And what if I refuse this contract?" Choko asked._

_"I wouldn't advise it, dear," Gondawara snapped. "I am a powerful man. I have bathed in the blood of my enemies. Do not cross me."_

_In other words, if she refused, she would be killed. She rolled her eyes. Old men always thought theatrics and melodramatics were the perfect way to get what they wanted. The gun strapped to her right thigh begged to disagree._

_"I'm not afraid of you," she told him slowly. His hands balled into fists at her words. She smirked. "I will accept this contract, though. I have nothing better to do, and $150,000 every week sounds rather nice." He relaxed, but raised his eyebrows at her price increase. She sighed. "If I am going to be responsible for lugging this guy around," she jerked her thumb at Hukarishu, "then I think I should have a fair amount of compensation."_

_"Fine, fine," Gondawara muttered. He opened his jacket and removed an envelope. He opened it up and removed a long piece of paper he carefully unfolded. Pen in hand, he began to mark the paper with the terms of their agreement. "Sign."_

_She accepted the paper he handed over and she read through it. The terms were simple. She was to be paid one hundred fifty thousand dollars every week for the next six months, starting tonight. She was to answer to Gondawara anytime he called. She was not to interact with any of the other members of the Black Black Club. Hukarishu would be with her always. If she failed to meet any of those terms in the six-month time period, her death was assured. She signed her single name to the bottom in curly script._

_"It's a pleasure to do business with you, Miss Choko," Gondawara said, standing up. He extended his hand. Choko accepted it and they shook, finalizing the deal._

* * *

The door to her room loomed before her. With a sigh, Choko pushed it open and entered the room. She headed for her chair and pulled out her pack of cigarettes. She'd worn her own clothes today- jeans and a thick black sweater over a thin tank top. Her boots thumped on the floor as she walked. She collapsed in the chair, feeling miserable. All she wanted was a good strong drink and something to do.

Someone knocked on the door, but she ignored it. Whoever it was entered without her consent. She turned her head to stare, but it was the demon who usually ran around to get her what she wanted. He'd placed a tray with glasses and about seven different bottles- all of which she assumed were alcohol- on the table. She smirked.

"No more Ogre Killer?" she teased, realizing that the bottle she'd had so many hours ago was still yet to turn up. The tall thin demon shook his head and cowered in the corner. "That's alright. I'm pretty sure Hiei would kill you if you brought that back. Thanks, though." She eyed the selection. These were top-shelf bottles from home! Her eyes widened and she noticed another treat- a brand new carton of menthol cigarettes. "Ya did good."

"Th-thank you, my lady," the demon choked out. He stopped shaking, but did not leave his corner.

"Since it's obvious that you can go to my world without too much trouble," she began, considering the items spread before her, "think you can grab me a Reese's Cup?" She watched the demon's face screw up in confusion. She sighed. How did anyone_ not_ know about Reese's Cups? "It's chocolate. You can get them at pretty much any store." The demon nodded once, unsure of her request. She went back to the bottles on the table.

Gin, tequila, rum, vodka, scotch, whisky, and Jagermeister. She grinned. Wondering what other things she could request from the demon, she snatched up the bottle of Jager first, pouring the thick liquid into the shot glass provided. She knocked it back, relishing in this small comfort from her own world.

She grabbed the bottle from the table and retreated to her chair to watch the sky and drink herself into oblivion.

* * *

A/N:

First things first: yeah, I know I used American brands and dollars and shit but I didn't feel like doing the research or conversions required to alter the shit, so don't get yer panties in wad. :) I'm very lazy. I don't own any of the brands I cited- or YYH for that matter (though I wish I did).

Second: A big time thank you to GoodEnoughTheOpenDoor for her suggestion of the Reese's Cups and the Jager! (I was having a hard time coming up with more shit.)

I also must thank her for the **TOTALLY FREAKING AWESOME** picture she drew as the cover for this story! The link to it is on my profile, and you should definitely give her a shout out on dA!

Third: Another _huge_ thank you to those of you who read this! :) I'm very grateful.

Also- thank you very much to my guest reviewer! I can't say what will happen with the cat just yet, but his part to play will come soon enough!

I wanted to add something a little more light-hearted at the end of this chapter to counteract the whole getting-off-on-murder thing in the beginning. I hope you enjoyed her memories! Oh, and Gondawara was the owner of Team Rokuyukai from the Dark Tournament (think Chu, Rinku, and Zeru). He's the only one that wasn't directly killed by Sakyo (his team lost and he lost his fortune before Sakyo and Younger Toguro got to the rest of the Black Black Club, so my assumption is that he left before he lost his life, too).

Um… I guess that's all. :D

Nope, it's not. I forgot to beg.

**Please review!** It's very important to me!

(Now I'm done.)


	7. Chapter 7

Four demons sat before her, each in their own chair within the white cell. Three were male and the last was female. Only one of the demons had put up any sort of real struggle when she'd sent her men to retrieve them.

Zentaro had been the first to arrive. His air of superiority, even in _her_ presence, was obvious in the way he held himself. She'd had him thrown unceremoniously into the cell. Second to enter the cell was Inari, but she'd walked in of her own accord. Masaru and Tsuyoshi were delivered to her at the same time. Tsuyoshi had fought tooth-and-nail against her guards, but his lower B class powers barely managed to scratch either of the men he attacked. Masaru, much like Inari, did not resist.

Kirin stood at her back, awaiting her next order. Eying each of the demons before her, she decided that the most likely culprit was Inari- she was weaker than the others, but she had a talent for thievery and had amassed quite the fortune. She did not allow this bias to cloud her judgment.

"Why have you brought us here?" Masaru asked calmly. "I hadn't expected much hospitality from you, Mukuro, but is a prison cell really necessary?"

Inari's eyes narrowed at her. "A drink would have been nice," she quipped.

"You're asking the bitch who had us kidnapped for _tea_?" Zentaro snapped at Inari. She did not respond, only rolled her eyes and looked pointedly away.

"Silence," Mukuro barked. She was annoyed enough as it was- she did not need her prisoners arguing amongst themselves. "What do you know of the human woman called Choko?"

The reactions of each demon told a far greater story than Mukuro could have guessed at. Inari and Masaru exchanged quick, worried glances before fixing their faces into perfect, blank masks and staring back at her. Zentaro rolled his eyes and scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest and turning up his nose. Tsuyoshi fidgeted in his seat, his nervous eyes darting around the room to look at everything but Mukuro herself.

"That slime ball Toshi approached me years ago, quoting some fantastic story about a gifted human," Inari answered first. "I was curious, and I paid him handsomely for his story. I can see that he's made quite the fortune if he's told you four as well." Mukuro said nothing. That wasn't a true answer. She looked over to Masaru instead.

"I have much the same story," he replied with a light shrug. "What with Raizen's boy coming around, I figured that learning about other gifted humans might work to my own advantage. I remembered her, just for future reference, but never saw the need to track her down for myself. She's just a_ human_, after all." Mukuro kept her thoughts to herself, but something told her that he was lying.

"Zentaro?" Mukuro inquired, turning her entire body to face the demon. His orange-tinted skin was the only remarkable feature about him. He looked like any other human. It would have been easy for him to wander the human world virtually unnoticed.

"An old partner of mine knew her," Zentaro answered at length. This piqued Mukuro's interest. "She was in with the Black Black Club for a short time. This former partner of mine spent a great deal of time in her company. Unfortunately for the both of them, he made several poor decisions and escaped to Living World. I heard the rat Toshi boasting about his knowledge a few years back and pried the information from him. I simply used her to get to the one who betrayed me."

This was an interesting development. She made a mental note to herself to question Choko about this situation. For the moment, she focused all of her cold attention onto Tsuyoshi. His deep blue skin had already broken into a sweat.

"That little bitch killed my brother." Mukuro raised one eyebrow in Tsuyoshi's direction. He still could not meet her gaze. "I was going to kill her for revenge. That bastard demon that protected the human nearly killed me and took her to safety. I was never able to find her again..." Rather than look at Mukuro, the blue demon narrowed his dark purple eyes in Zentaro's direction. They glared coldly at each other while Masaru and Inari looked on in amusement.

"Enough," Mukuro snapped. "Which of you hired the three demons who came to kidnap her earlier this morning?" Suddenly, Tsuyoshi's twitching became more violent. Eventually, he stood and tossed his chair to the far end of the room, fuming and stomping around. Kirin appeared behind him in a flash and struck him once on the back of the head, knocking him to the floor.

Disgust twisted Zentaro's features as he looked at the pile of blue skin and white cloth that littered the floor. He raked back his shaggy black hair back with one hand and turned to face Mukuro instead. "Is that why you've called us here?"

Inari could not suppress an exasperated sigh. "Of course it is, moron," she told him. "Mukuro does not like to share her toys. Anyone who tries to take her things away is met with severe punishment, right?" Inari's solid white eyes landed on Mukuro.

"I have no wish to steal away your little human," Masaru drawled, picking at one of the black scales on the back of his hand. He leveled all four of his luminous green eyes at Mukuro. "If I wanted her for myself, I would not send hired thugs to do the job." One of his eyes darted over to Inari, who pretended not to notice.

"My only use for the girl was to find the demon that protected her," Zentaro muttered. "I thought the little bitch was dead, but I suppose she's lucky as well as stupid."

"Lucky?" Inari laughed. "The woman avoids death at every turn." The female demon hissed, realizing she'd said too much. Mukuro waited, her arms crossed over her chest. She'd expected more resistance, but these demons were telling on themselves without much interference on her part. She'd known throwing them all together in one room would produce an effect, but she hadn't known it would make the entire process easier.

"Please, tell us what you know," Zentaro said with smirk. He looked down his long pointed nose at the pale white woman to his left. Masaru chuckled.

"I've had eyes on her in Living World for about a year now," Inari answered with a loose shrug. Mukuro could see that she was trying to downplay the situation, to deflect the attention away from herself. At her cold, demanding stare, Inari sighed. "I want the brat dead."

"Why?" Masaru asked incredulously. This was the first time he'd heard of this, Mukuro realized, but it wasn't the first time he'd spoken to Inari about Choko.

"Who ever would have guessed that you and _Tsuyoshi_ would have something in common?" Zentaro asked, his inflection on Tsuyoshi's name turning the rhetorical question into an insult. Inari snapped, jumping from her chair and slicing her hand over Zenato's face. Her pure white skin did not show the razor blade-like scales she employed as her primary weapon. A thin streak of bright violet blood seeped from the orange cheek of the demon before her.

One of Masaru's hands on Inari's shoulder stopped her from attacking a second time. Tsuyoshi was beginning to stir on the floor. Bringing a hand up to his cheek, Zentaro stared at Inari, chilling the entire room. Tiny crystals of ice began to frost the floor around the orange-skinned demon. Managing at last to stand, Tsuyoshi noticed the tension in the room and threw himself at Masaru.

* * *

The human woman was an annoying thorn in his side. She was drunk once more, sprawled out on the floor. The cat she loved so dearly was running around the room, chasing a makai insect. Chain smoking and laughing, Choko goaded the cat to jump higher and run faster after the bug. She spoke to the creature as if it understood every word she said- and perhaps it did, but he could see no such intelligence in the cat's eyes.

"Get up," he snarled at her. She just giggled at him, rolling her eyes. He could sense Kirin as he walked down the hall to this room. He narrowed his eyes at her, part of him wishing the woman would die from all of the alcohol she insisted on ingesting.

"Dansei," the woman called, drawing out the beast's name in a sing-song voice. The sound grated on his nerves. Kirin was at the door now.

"Hiei," the demon greeted in his usual, less-than-friendly tone. "You and the woman have been summoned." Hiei stood and lept off of the edge of the balcony. He looked down at the woman with disgust. She was curled up on her side now, stroking the cat's fur and sending little bits of it soaring into the air. He nudged her with the toe of his boot, unwilling to touch her any more than he had to.

The woman groaned and rolled herself into a sitting position before clamoring to her feet. She was unsteady as she stood and even more unbalanced as she walked. Kirin rolled his eyes and turned to leave. Choko followed in her staggering gait while Hiei himself took the rear. The walk down to the prison was going to be a long one…

* * *

Choko held herself up using the wall as she waited for the guards to open the door. The ruckus from inside the prison filtered out into the hall. The world swam before her and the sounds were deafening. Once she was able to see inside the glaringly white prison cell, she shoved herself away from the wall to stagger inside.

There were five demons in this room. Mukuro stood off to the side, her arms crossed and watching in silent amusement as the other four demons continued to fight with each other. The white woman was so pale, it would have been impossible to tell her apart from the rest of the room if not for the pale pink Chinese dress she wore. One of the men had dark blue skin that clashed horribly with the white outfit he wore. The third demon had solid black skin and four green eyes. The slant of those four eyes shot a pang of painful memory through her brain. She shoved the thought away until her eyes rested on the fourth person mixed up in the tussle.

It was as if someone had dumped a bucketful of ice cold water over her. The orange-tinted skin, the black hair… She felt bile rise up in her throat. Turning and running from the room, she managed to make it to the hall before bending over and puking up nearly all of the Jager she'd been drinking this afternoon.

"What's wrong with you?" Mukuro demanded. Choko choked out another round of Jager, unable to answer. She gasped for breath and felt hot tears stinging her eyes. She managed to take two shaky steps back before collapsing against the wall. Her hands came up to cover her head as if she was avoiding blows, and her legs curled up beside her.

The choking, gasping sobs that wracked her entire body were painful. She could only see that face… Those all-too-human features and that horrible shade of orange… Her chest burned. Electric shocks jolted through her arms. Stabbing pains in her head blinded her.

_Long, silver claws ripped through flesh, splattering blood all over her. A sickening, twisted grin altered the human-like features of the face above her. Her screams of terror and pain fell on deaf ears._

"Choko!"

_Hukarishu was screaming her name, pleading for her life. His long fingers clutched her arm, smearing the dark blood that speckled her skin. With his final, gasping breaths, he whispered her name again and again. Those four black eyes were shining with unshed tears._

"Stop this nonsense!"

_The man with the orange skin loomed over her, his smirk threatening enough without the four talons that glistened with blood. She was frozen solid- unable to move, unable to breathe. He knelt before her, staring into her eyes as he licked one of those claws. She was trembling when he reached for her, that same talon touching her face. He drew a thin line from her ear to her chin, exactly along her jawline. Caustic blood began to seep from the slender cut._

"Silence!"

Mukuro was screaming at her. She choked on her last sob, forcing it back down her throat. Her arms came down, but she kept her face hidden in them. Her chest still ached and her skin tingled. A line of fire traced its way down the left side of her jaw. She cradled her face in one hand, touching the skin to check for blood.

"What the hell was that all about?" Mukuro demanded, still shouting. Choko couldn't answer. She was staring at the wall, trying to remember how to breath normally.

"It was a memory," Hiei provided for her. "Zentaro murdered her lover in front of her." The way the fire apparition spat the words made Choko's blood boil. She wanted to jump up and hit him again and again until some of the pain that crippled her was worn away. Had he been human, she'd have taken the chance. But this was a demon, and she was weak.

"Fuck you," she whispered. Numbing ice replaced the blood in her veins. Her body relaxed, her arms dropping to her lap as her legs stretched out. Her head rested against the wall as she stared blankly down the corridor.

"This is pathetic," Mukuro grumbled from behind her. She didn't have it in her to get angry. She was blissfully hollow. "Get up and come do what I brought you here to do!"

The dead chuckle that Choko barked out startled the former demon lord. "Fuck you, too."

* * *

A/N:

A little short, but there you have it. Chapter 7.

Special shout out to GoodEnoughTheOpenDoor for her amazing picture! The link to it is on my profile- you should totally go give her a review on it!

Please review! (Even if it's something negative or not much at all- any and all reviews will help me out!)


	8. Chapter 8

_The town car pulled around to the front of Choko's apartment building. Hukarishu opened the door for her. She settled herself into the back seat of the car and was pleasantly surprised to find a mixer full of dirty martini. She poured herself a glass as Hukarishu sat beside her and the car pulled off._

_"Is that to your liking, Miss Choko?" the driver asked, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. She nodded, swirling the toothpick in the glass. There were three olives- just as requested. She'd grown to enjoy the perks of being Gondawara's "girl"._

_The men she "questioned" usually responded better to her when she'd had a few drinks. She was more relaxed and slipped into the role of dominatrix with ease. The men were fun to tease. The low-cut, semi-revealing black evening gowns she wore tempered the men's attitudes, allowing her to get close to them before they realized her true purpose. The demons did not respond quite as well, but she'd always delivered their answers to Gondawara regardless._

_The hour-long car ride to Gondawara's mansion had been tedious at first. She and Hukarishu had only ever spoken to each other when absolutely necessary. He followed her everywhere- to her favorite club, to the grocery store, to restaurants, even sat a few tables away on the one date she'd managed to have. As it was now, they'd chat, usually about whatever man she was going to interrogate._

_"Who is it this time?" Choko asked, twisting in her seat to face Hukarishu._

_"This particular job is special," he began. He took a sip of the whisky in his hand. "Mister Gondawara is throwing a betting party. There are some organized fights taking place. It's nothing large, but several members of the Black Black Club will be there to watch and bet on their own fighters."_

_"Sounds interesting," Choko mused, a small smile forming on her face. In reality, she wanted nothing to do with fighting of any sort. She always left the rooms Gondawara had the men placed in for her before he could exact his revenge. She was terrified of the part of herself that felt twisted pleasure in hearing the men's screams and watching their blood pour from their bodies. The rational part of her brain told her this was wrong, that she shouldn't feel that way. But her reactions were involuntary. It was easier to resist the urge to watch when she was drunk._

_"Your job will be to get in good with a man called Sakyo," Hukarishu continued. Cho turned her attention back to him, curious. "He's got something planned and Mister Gondawara would like to know what that something is."_

_"Sounds simple enough," Choko shrugged. Hukarishu shook his head._

_"He's dangerous, Miss Choko," he warned. "Do not be fooled by him."_

_Cho barked out a harsh laugh. "It's rather hard to fool me, wouldn't you agree? I know when people are lying to me. As long as I ask the right questions, he can't hide anything." The demon at her side did not look appeased._

_"I cannot protect you from these men," he muttered._

_"Then what good are you?" Cho snapped. He lowered his head, all four of his eyes trained on his own shoes. The majority of the car ride was spent in stony silence after that._

"Hukarishu…" Cho whispered into the darkness. She pulled her knees tighter to her chest and pressed her back into the corner of the room. This position prevented her from shivering like she did when she was relaxed.

When bright light flooded the room, she hissed, snapping her eyes shut and pressing her face against her knees. She heard the rattle of locks before the hinges squealed as the door was opened. She looked up, squinting through the harsh light. The demon before her did not look at her, just sat a tray on the floor and retreated as quickly as he'd come.

Uncurling her limbs, she crawled along the floor to reach the food that had been provided. The unnamed gray slop smelled worse than rotten fish, so she did not touch it. There was bread, some form of meat, and water, as well. She nibbled at the bread, looking down at her bare arms and legs. The bruises were finally beginning to lose some of their color.

Mukuro had been furious with her. She'd told the fearsome woman that she couldn't look at Zentaro, couldn't make him answer her or even tell if he was lying. She'd tried once before. There were a select few who were immune to her talent, but she had learned of their existence the hard way.

She'd been tossed away after that confession. Literally. Mukuro had picked her up and thrown her down the hall. She'd hit the floor hard, rolling until gravity stopped her at last. Demons had collected her only moments later, dumping her into the room she now occupied.

At first she'd fought. She'd kicked and screamed and bit and clawed at anyone that came in the room. She'd done what she could to try to get by the demons that guarded the door when it was opened. She'd failed each time, only earning more bruises. When the demons did not come to bring her water or food, she was left alone in darkness.

It hadn't taken her long to resort to her memories of Hukarishu. He'd been a tiny speck of light in her darkness. Amongst the drugs and alcohol and violence, he'd been a rock for her to rest on. He'd protected her from humans and demons alike and was eventually killed for it.

After she'd eaten the bit of bread and a few bites of the odd meat she had no name for, she guzzled her water and retreated back to her corner. No bed had been provided and she was forced to pee in a pot by the door. She didn't know how long she'd been locked in this room, but it felt like an eternity. The light was gone again.

_Even in the dim light thrown into her dark apartment from the streetlights, she could see Hukarishu. He lounged on her couch, sipping at a glass of his favorite whisky. She was silent as she padded across the plush carpet, but she'd known he'd heard her. She threw her arms around his neck from behind, bending over the couch to kiss his cheek._

_"Come to bed," she whispered into his ear. He turned his face, smirking at her before placing a singular kiss on her cheek. For a demon, he was quite the gentleman. He had been nothing but professionally polite. That is, until she'd been attacked for the first time._

_Watching him murder the demon who'd come after her on the dark street had come as a shock. It had taken days for her to recover, along with plenty of alcohol- and a little bit of cocaine when she was needed by Gondawara. She'd been terrified of him. He hadn't come close to her unless they were forced to ride in the car to the mansion. It was the second time he'd killed a demon before her, when he'd literally ripped the body of the small creature into pieces, that broke fear's hold over her. Only hours after that second incident had she sought him out in the wee hours of the morning, leaving the warmth of her bed to sit at his side on the leather couch._

_For now, she stood, her fingers tracing his jawline as she moved away from him. She sought out a tumbler in the kitchen. Her back was to the sitting area as she poured a glass of vodka. She took a long sip and smiled when she felt his arms wrap around her waist, his chin resting on the top of her head. One of his hands drifted down, brushing over her bare right thigh. His silk shirts were her favorite thing to wear._

_"I see you've stolen another one away from me," he whispered, his rough voice sending shivers down her spine. She nodded once, relaxing against his chest as she took another sip from her glass._

_"As I've said before, everything in this apartment belongs to__** me**__." Her words must have caused a reaction in him. His arm at her waist tightened and his hand on her thigh gripped her hip. He spun her around and bent his head, crushing his lips to hers. He lifted her easily, walking with her in his arms back to her bedroom. She giggled, abandoning her glass on the counter as they passed it._

Choko could not bring herself to finish the memory. She shifted her position, curling up on the floor rather than against the wall. She'd slept more than anything else in this room. Her body ached far too much for her to be capable of much else. The blinding darkness was more than she knew how to cope with. Sleep brought dreams of other places, and memories took her to another time.

She longed for a bed and a bath. Her hair was dirty, matted and plastered to her shoulders and back. It was impossible to be comfortable on this cold, hard floor. A wave of nausea washed over her. It was a struggle for her to roll over to hands and knees and crawl along the edge of the wall. Her hands found the pot and she vomited.

The painful convulsions were back, wracking her body as she tried to crawl her way back to her corner. As she curled up against the wall, she felt the sting of tears. She wanted light. She wanted Dansei. She wanted to go home.

* * *

The human woman had not been in her rooms when he'd returned. It had taken little effort to track her to this room. One of the guards tried to stop him, but when he found himself without a head, he could no longer barr him from the room. The other guard quickly turned and unlocked the door, pushing it open before turning on the light.

It stank of stale air and vomit. He wrinkled his nose. There was almost no trace of the woman's energy, but beneath the stench, he could detect her faint peachy scent. His eyes narrowed when he looked at her.

Choko was curled up on the floor, her entire body shaking violently. Her eyes were closed, but there were streaks of tears on her cheeks. Despite the way she wrapped her arms underneath her body, he could see the tell-tale signs of bruising marring her pale skin. He did not know what the woman had done, but he was not in the business of torturing humans, and he was not going to allow it to continue.

"Take her to her rooms," Hiei commanded, turning his head towards the demon by the door.

"Mukuro has ordered the woman here," the demon began to argue.

"Do it now or you shall face a worse fate than that of your friend," he snapped. The demon obeyed, shuffling past him to reach Choko. He snatched her from the floor and heaved the woman over his shoulder before retreating from the room.

He followed close behind, unwilling to leave the woman in this demon's charge until she was safe in her room. It was not a long trip, but he found himself slipping into thoughts of why this had happened.

Humans were not supposed to be in Demon World in the first place. Not only had he broken Enki's one law by bringing the woman here, he'd allowed himself to leave her alone at the mercy (or lack thereof) of Mukuro. What was she thinking? Humans were not to be harmed while they were in this world. Why else had there been a special healing chamber set up for the humans?

Yusuke would have been livid if he discovered the woman here and in such a poor condition. With the tournament only a week away, there was no doubt that he would arrive soon. He'd told Hiei that he wanted to "make his rounds" before the tournament to make sure everyone would be fighting again. Mukuro had gone so far as to invite him to stay when he returned. Hiei wondered now if Yusuke's presence would only bring more trouble.

The woman was deposited on her bed and Hiei ordered the demon to find Choko's servant and tell him to come at once. When the demon had gone, he moved closer to her. She looked terrible. Her hair was dirty and her clothes looked far too loose in places where they'd fit tightly before. He cursed himself.

Four days. Four short days, and this is what the woman had been reduced to. His trip had been a colossal waste of time. A group of demons had attacked, managing to take out two of Mukuro's select guard before they'd been slaughtered. One had been left alive. At that demon's retreat, Hiei had followed, hoping that he would be led to whomever was behind the attacks. He'd traveled far- deep into the pits of demon world. He'd never had a reason to go before that moment, and he didn't want to return. The darkness was foul; it stank of decay. Once it had become obvious that the demon was not going to lead him anywhere of real importance, Hiei had ended his life and returned.

Disturbed by the sight of the woman on the bed, he turned away. It wasn't so much that she herself was disturbing, but it was that she'd been treated so horribly. He could not understand Mukuro's reasoning for it. How could a woman who'd been imprisoned and tortured herself do the very same to another- much less a human? She knew his thoughts on anyone being treated in such a way. Thoughts of Yukina chilled him.

He saw no real reason for torture. If death was the intention, then death should be delivered swiftly. He sought no pleasure in causing unnecessary pain and suffering. If this woman had refused or been unable to do as requested, she should have been sent back to Living World. Why was it that he'd found her in such a deplorable state?

Mukuro's temper was the source of much of her strength. As of late, her irritation at the attempts on her life had brought around a small increase in her power. It wasn't quite what it had been during the last tournament when he'd left, but now her power was coming closer and closer to that mark. He'd noticed the increase the moment he'd returned to her territory.

He'd heard nothing from Mukuro since his return. If any more attempts had been made at her life, he would have known by now. What could a human woman possibly have done to infuriate her to this level? Whatever the reason, she could not justify the way she'd treated Choko. He planned to speak with her soon.

He was snatched away from his thoughts by the timid knock on the door preceding the servant's entry. The slender demon slipped into the room before shutting the door once more. Hiei turned to face him.

"Stay here with her," he commanded. "Do not let her out of your sight for a moment. Summon me when she wakes." At the demon's nod, he darted from the room, preferring the balconies to the stairs.

* * *

The cat was preventing his access to Miss Choko, hissing and swiping at him any time he came close. He only wanted to cover the woman in the blankets he'd brought. She was still shaking. He'd been worried when she'd never returned to her room after Mukuro had sent for her four days ago. He had no right to place to ask where she was or when she might be back, so he'd said nothing. Now that she was back, she looked worse than he'd ever seen and he only wanted to help her feel better.

"I just want to cover her up!" he wailed at the cat, hoping the foul beast would understand his good intentions. He sighed when the cat did not back down. He abandoned the blanket at the foot of the bed along with the other two and retreated to the table in the center of the room. He'd brought along some food that could be eaten cold and plenty of water. There were still six bottles of untouched alcohol and the full carton of cigarettes on the table. As a servant, he was rarely noticed, much less spoken to or thanked in the way Miss Choko had.

She was mumbling in the bed, but he could not understand the words. Her voice was hoarse and low. "Rishu," she whispered. It was so odd; at the sound of her voice, the cat turned to face her, nuzzling her cheek. He curled up on the bed in the small space between Choko's neck and shoulder, resting his head on her chest. Moving back up to the bed, he grabbed the blanket and covered Choko with it, hoping to warm her up enough to stop her shivering. He added the other two blankets as well, then retreated to the corner of the room to wait for Lord Hiei to return.

* * *

Waking up in a warm bed had been a shock to her system. She'd expected the darkness, the cold floor, the painful convulsions. Instead, she was greeted with light and her servant had food and water waiting for her. Dansei had been curled up against her neck, keeping her warm. She did not sit up at first, but waited until he'd woken up and moved to the foot of the bed like usual.

"I'm so glad you're awake, Miss Choko," the servant said, carrying a tray over to her bed. On it was a small plate of food, a glass and pitcher both full of water, as well as a new pack of cigarettes and her silver lighter. She drained the glass of water first, then reached for the cigarettes. The nicotine rush into her brain was a welcome high.

"How…" she realized how rough her voice was and she stopped to clear her throat. It didn't help much, but she was a little easier to understand. "How long was I in that room?"

"You…" the demon began, looking away. He looked upset for some reason. "You were gone for four days, Miss Choko." She nodded, inhaling the cigarette smoke greedily. It had felt much longer than four days… Now she just wanted to go home. It was obvious she was of little use to Mukuro now, so why should she remain here?

"Can you take me home?" she asked, looking at the demon who had retreated back to the corner of the room. She frowned when he shook his head. Feeling Hiei's eyes burning her skin once again, she felt she understood why he'd tried to compress himself into the smallest possible space.

Turning her head to look at him, she was surprised to see him looking worse for wear. There were scrapes and bruises on his skin- he was sans cloak for once. He was pissed off too. It was obvious in the way he held himself and the way his eyes narrowed when she faced him. "You aren't going anywhere." How was it that he managed to make every word that came out of his mouth sound like a death threat?

"Why not?" Choko demanded. It hadn't sounded as intimidating as she'd have liked, but the rough sound of her voice got her point across well enough. "I'm useless now, right?" Hiei wore a sarcastic smirk. She scowled back at him.

"Far from it," he snapped. "We still have Masaru and Inari here; they need to be questioned." At his words, she felt the blood drain from her face. The convulsions returned and she had to wrap her arms around herself to try to stop them.

"Where…" she whispered, "where is… Zentaro?"

"Gone," Hiei answered. She sucked the last bit of smoke from her cigarette and crushed it out on the tray. Automatically, she reached for another. Her hands shook as she attempted to light it. After a moment of struggle, her servant came over to her and took the lighter away gently. He snapped it open and lit it, holding the flame out for her. She threw him a gracious look and he nodded once.

"Why are you afraid of him, Miss Choko?" the demon asked. She shook her head, unable to speak. There was a growing lump in her throat. The demon seemed to understand this and walked back over to his corner, although he wasn't quite cowering this time.

Hiei settled himself on the edge of the balcony, resting his back against the wall where it connected to the room. "We have another use for Zentaro," he began. "It is to Mukuro's understanding that he is working with the demon that is trying to kill her. His every move is being tracked." This still did not settle Choko's now churning stomach. Whatever motives Zentaro had for helping this unknown demon to kill Mukuro, she was certain that he had a way to get the job done. His tenacity made him all the more likely to succeed.

* * *

A/N:

Sooo… I this one was a tad longer than the others. I'd really like to know what your opinions on Choko are. I've done my best to keep Hiei as "in character" as possible- I hope I've done an okay job of that.

Thanks to those who've been reviewing- you guys seriously make my whole day a million times better. (Special shout outs to: SakiHanajima1, Just 2 Dream of You, and GoodEnoughTheOpenDoor.)

To my guest reviewer: Thank you so much! And no, Mukuro doesn't take shit from anyone! :p I would say more, but I don't want to give anything away. :)

And yet, I must beg for more reviews… PLEASE! (YOU! Yes, you, reading this now... I know you're there. Why not take two seconds to leave a word or two telling me what you think? Good or bad- I'll take it all. DO IT!)

:)


	9. Chapter 9

It had been just over a year since Yusuke had been in Demon World. This time, he was glad to have Kuwabara at his side. Kurama wouldn't come until later, but he'd nagged the redhead half to death before he'd finally agreed to participate in the tournament. They weren't fighting for the title, they were fighting to enjoy themselves, to work out the stress from their everyday lives in a violent explosion of energy against suitable opponents.

Hokushin had been less than pleased with his announcement that he was going to visit Hiei at the house of Mukuro. Despite the bald man's pleading, Yusuke and Kuwabara both were headed there now. It was more than a day's trip by foot, but the weird bug transport that ran around Demon World searching for misplaced humans was headed back to Mukuro's anyway, so they'd hitched a ride.

"Hey Urameshi," Kuwabara whispered conspiratorially, "what's with the guy with the huge nose?" Yusuke laughed and smacked his friend on the back.

"We just call him Snout," he answered. "He can smell humans like nobody's business! He and Hiei worked together for a while. Then he wound up with the short end of the stick and ended up getting stuck with patrol duty." (Though, really, he was just good at finding humans.) Kuwabara nodded, but one more look at the demon that was almost all _nose_, and he shuddered.

"So uh," Kuwabara began again. Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Why're we goin' to see Hiei again? And this creepy lady you told me about- is she really stronger than you and the shrimp?" Yusuke gave him a heavy sigh and a shrug.

"At the last tournament, hell yeah she was," he answered. He looked out at the compound that was slowly growing in size along the horizon. "Last time I came out this way, I could feel her energy from here. This time, I can't. Don't ask me why- I don't have a clue. But we're here to pay a visit to Hiei. We owe him that much, at least."

"I don't get why," Kuwabara grumbled. Yusuke rolled his eyes, yet again, and shuffled away from the larger man to chat up Snout. The huge nostrils were sniffing even now, but Yusuke wasn't sure why. Usually, he reserved the annoying sound for right near the border. This was entirely too far into demon world for a human to be around.

"What's up?" Yusuke asked, sensing Snout's unusual tension.

"I…" the demon faltered, his nasally voice soft for once. "There's a human in Lord Mukuro's territory..." Yusuke's eyebrows shot up on his forehead. Snout looked uncomfortable, like he was regretting having spoken. After all, he was originally loyal only to Mukuro. Yusuke understood that those loyalties weren't easy to give up on.

"I'm sure they have a good reason," Yusuke muttered. _They damn well better have a good reason_, he thought darkly. He felt anxious suddenly, and turned to go find Kuwabara again.

"Urameshi, I got this weird vibe going on," the carrot-top muttered, his eyes cast to the floor. "I can't explain it." While his own spirit awareness was still lacking- even now as a demon- Yusuke could tell there was something wrong here too. He had no clue what it might be, but it was enough to set his teeth on edge.

"Well, we'll find out soon enough," he answered, looking back out at the horizon. They were already a lot closer to the massive compound.

* * *

"Who's that?" Choko asked, leaning over the rail of the balcony. Hiei was standing near her; that creepy third eye on his forehead was glowing again. She glanced up at him, noticing his narrowed eyes and sharp scowl. Taking another long drag from her cigarette, she flicked the remaining butt out into barren yard below.

"A complication," Hiei answered at last, his frown more pronounced. The purple glow stopped, but he did not look away. The creepy bug-type vehicle continued speeding towards them, kicking up a huge trail of dust. She sighed and walked away, heading for the table that held the remainder of her booze. She poured herself a small glass of straight vodka and relaxed against the edge, crossing her arms over her chest.

It had only been just over a day since she'd woken up back in her own room. Mukuro had still not summoned her, but she knew it was only a matter of time. Her wicked bruises made it hard for her to do much more than walk around. She could not sit or stand without intense pain.

Hiei almost never left, and she'd yet to see him sleep. There was a marked change in his behavior, but she might not have noticed it if her servant hadn't mentioned it only a few hours ago during one of the precious moments Hiei was absent. He wasn't as hateful. His tone was softer, somehow, not quite so threatening as before. Whatever the reason, Cho refused to ask him about it.

Her eyes drifted over to the dresser that held what few possessions she'd brought to this world. The sword with the red hilt rested on top. Something in her told her to pick it up, to keep it with her no matter what. She obeyed that instinct, leaving the table and walking across the room. Closing her hand around the black lacquered sheath, she pulled it close to her chest. Fighting to understand the reason why she needed the blade, she closed her eyes. Dansei's paw on her arm shook her away from her swirl of thoughts. She scratched the cat's head and cheeks for a moment before he bounded away, chasing after a bug.

"Miss Choko?" the servant asked timidly from a few feet to her right. She looked over at him, still confused about the blade's purpose. "Is there anything I can get for you?" When she shook her head, the demon retreated. She tied the katana in place around the white belt at her waist. It was an odd accessory, but she didn't mind. If anything, she hoped that it would make her look more intimidating to whomever this "complication" was. They must have arrived already, for the trail of dust was closer than ever and she could no longer see the strange machine that carried them.

"When's the party start?" Cho asked, staring at the back of Hiei's head. He smirked at her over his shoulder.

"About now," he answered. She wasn't surprised when the knock came on the door. The servant rushed over to open it, but it only revealed another servant. She'd learned how to tell them apart. The demons were always wearing soft blue tunics; they did not have weapons or armor.

"Lord Mukuro requests your presence," he informed, staring directly at her. She shrugged and looked to Hiei, for once actually expecting him to truly protect her. "Please, follow me." Hiei leapt down from the balcony and joined Cho just as she crossed the threshold. He wasn't close to her, not by any means, but he wasn't either in front of her or behind her this time. His change in behavior was becoming more obvious by the minute.

"What do you think you are going to need that for?" he asked, more than a little sarcastically. Choko knew he was talking about the sword at her hip without bothering to look at him.

"Makes me look bad ass," she replied with a shrug. It had been fun to tease him for the past day, getting away with snide little remarks that would have earned a severe look and snappy retort before. She was surprised with herself that she hadn't noticed before her servant mentioned it.

Her entire body began to tense as they walked down the first flight of stairs. The smell of the dark room filled her nose, and the entire hall seemed to dim before her eyes. She could feel the sharp pangs of internal cold once more. It took everything in her to stop her body from shaking and to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

When they passed a particular door, Choko felt waves of nausea turn her stomach. The wooden surface looked inoffensive enough, but something in her screamed out at the close proximity. She knew without being told that this was the room she'd been held in for four days. As her feet carried her passed the door, she couldn't help but give a small sigh of relief. Again, her terror had begun to choke her. She couldn't handle being thrown back into that room again.

"Stay focused," Hiei muttered. Choko looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. He was facing forward, deliberately not looking over at her. She relaxed by small degrees as they moved further and further away from the door that frightened her. She focused on her feet, changing up her step to match Hiei's perfectly. It was easy to fit with his long stride, though it made her bruised thighs protest at the extension. She welcomed the slight pains, embraced them as they distracted her from the panic that threatened to rise up and consume her.

The trek was a short one. They stopped in a large open room she recognized from the day she'd been brought to Demon World. Mukuro stood off to the side, arms crossed. Her expression was enough for Choko to remain as far away from her as possible. Another round of despair tried forcing all of the oxygen from her lungs. As subtly as she could, she fought for deeper breaths. Hiei stood at her side, a little in front of her, intentionally blocking her from Mukuro's direct path. She took a few steps back, trying to look calm and collected. She dug for the pack of cigarettes and the lighter she kept tucked into her belt. After fumbling with the lighter for a short moment, she sucked in the tobacco smoke as if it were the air she so desperately craved.

"Your_ friend_ will be here momentarily," Mukuro spat in Hiei's direction. She sounded angrier than she looked. "Get this over with quickly. We have work to do." Hiei did not respond, and only the tightening of his posture alerted Choko to his displeasure at her words.

The room was uncomfortably silent. It took everything she had to remain against the wall, planted firmly in place. She wanted nothing more than to bolt from the room, to seek out her small haven of familiarity. Her body tensed up more than she thought possible when the two huge doors on the other side of the room began to swing open.

"Yo!" The young man that entered the room first held up a hand as a friendly wave. "How's it hangin', Hiei?" She noticed the larger man behind the first one. He was human. Her panic-induced nausea returned once more. The carrot-top didn't look as at-ease as his friend.

"Detective," Hiei said by way of greeting. He still had not relaxed.

"Why you got a human here, shorty?" the large one demanded. His voice was loud and reverberated throughout the room. She cringed at the sound. Those beady blue eyes were focused on her and she had to fight to make her next drag from her cigarette appear natural and calm.

"She's here of her own free will," Mukuro stated. Choko almost laughed at the bold-faced lie. She just wanted to go home! How many times did she have to say it? She hated being here, hated these demons that kept her prisoner.

"Chill out, Kuwabara," the dark-haired young man snapped. "We're just here for a friendly visit. Got somewhere we can sit and chat, Hiei?" Cho was surprised when Hiei nodded at the request. He turned around to lead them out of the room, flashing a look at Choko that told her to keep her mouth shut and follow close.

In a few short seconds, she was following Hiei through the halls again, but this time there was no servant and the two newcomers trailed behind her. She wondered about Mukuro's absence, but was also silently grateful she had not come along. They were headed back to her rooms.

The walk was silent, but as soon as the door closed behind the larger man, the tension in Hiei's shoulders fell away and the room relaxed. Choko headed straight for her glass and chugged the remainder. "Want a drink?" she asked, looking at the other two.

"Sure thing," the dark-haired man said with an easy grin. "Whatcha got?"

"Vodka, gin, tequila, and rum," she answered, looking over at the bottles lining the table. "Oh, and water." She walked over to it, grateful for the extra glasses her servant had provided for her. She glanced over to them, waiting for their answers.

"Rum for me," the smaller one answered, his grin growing.

"Just water," the other replied. He was still scrutinizing her and she felt his eyes burning the bruises that littered her skin. He seemed shocked when he noticed her dragon tattoo. Choko gave each of them their glasses and retreated to her chair on the balcony with her own full glass.

"Who are you?" Choko asked, lighting another cigarette. She repressed her hiss of pain as she sat down, hoping she wouldn't have to stand again any time soon.

"Yusuke Urameshi," the dark-haired one answered. "And that's Kuwabara. Who are you and why are you here?" His attention was focused on her now as well. She squirmed under the pressure.

"She's here to assist Mukuro," Hiei answered for her. She found herself annoyed with him. She could give her own answers!

"My name is Choko," she drawled, making herself appear disinterested. "I know when people are lying to me, and Mukuro found that useful."

"But you're human!" Kuwabara protested. "You shouldn't be here!"

"You're here," Hiei pointed out. The change in his mood was obvious to her now that she'd bothered to pay attention to him. He was not perched in his usual spot on the rail. Instead, he stood close to the center of the room, keeping a long distance between the others and Choko herself. Annoyance rolled off of him in waves.

"Cuz I'm gonna fight in the tournament, half-pint!" Kuwabara argued. His voice was loud and grated on Cho's nerves. She found that she could sympathize with Hiei's annoyance.

"I hope you're prepared to die, fool," Hiei snapped back.

"Chill out you two," Yusuke groaned. He was obviously the peace-keeper in the group, and had a lot of charisma. Cho felt like she'd heard his name somewhere before. He didn't look like a demon, but she could see the respect Hiei had for him. "Look, Hiei, you know how Enki is, and this lady looks like she's been through hell. What did you do to her?"

"He did nothing," Cho snapped, wondering to herself why she was defending the demon who'd captured her. "And I'm fine." Yusuke rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Lady, you can't fool me," he retorted.

"My name is _Choko_," she hissed.

"Oh whatever," Yusuke grumbled. "Anyway, you aren't supposed to be here. And those bruises look fresh. I'm pretty sure you didn't do that to yourself." Cho rolled her eyes. She sipped her drink and took another drag from her cigarette. "Can I get one of those?"

"What the hell, Urameshi?" Kuwabara shouted. "Drinking and smoking? Keiko's gonna kill you!"

"Only if you tell her, stupid," Yusuke growled back. "This is my time. She gets that. A few cigarettes and a couple of drinks aren't gonna kill me." Kuwabara was still grumbling, but Choko pulled out another cigarette and lit it, holding out for him but refusing to stand. She was surprised that Hiei allowed him to come close to her, but the young man took the cigarette and lounged against the balcony only a couple of feet from her.

"I do not discuss my contracts," Choko told him plainly, staring up at him with narrowed eyes. His dark brown eyes were warm and full of good intentions. She was a little surprised when he froze solid, just like the other demons. Humans did not react the same way; her talents did not affect them as strongly. She dropped her cold gaze and Yusuke gasped for air.

"What the _hell_ did you just do to me?" he demanded, one of his hands balling into a tight fist. Hiei was suddenly much closer.

"That's her talent, Detective," Hiei answered. Cho did not miss the way his arm was bent under his cloak. She knew he was gripping the hilt of his sword. Conflicting emotions washed through her. On the one hand, she was glad that he was now so willing to protect her. On the other, she was confused and irritated. She knew these boys would not harm her.

"What happened, Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked. He'd come closer as well, trying to look after the well-being of his friend. Choko found herself jealous and depressed.

"I totally froze up when she looked me in the eyes," Yusuke answered, glaring at her. She kept her eyes on Hiei, waiting to see how he would react. Assuming her true purpose here was to be kept secret, she looked to Hiei for direction. "How did you do that?"

"Are you deaf?" Hiei snapped. "It's what she does. She's here questioning demons in this way. She can force them to answer and they must speak the truth." Yusuke nodded, looking uncertain.

"She's done it to you, too, hasn't she?" Yusuke asked. Hiei nodded once. "Glad I'm not the only one. What demons? And why?" Hiei did not respond.

"Hiei you better start answering our questions!" Kuwabara shouted. "My honor as a man won't allow me to leave a human, especially a _girl_, here with a bunch of bloodthirsty demons!" Yusuke groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah?" Yusuke asked his friend. "And you're just going to take her away? Mukuro would knock your head off faster than you could get her out of this room and you know it! I might have let you tag along this time, but don't start picking fights you can't win! I can't always be there to save your ass!"

"Watch your mouth, Urameshi!" the tall one screamed. Choko wanted to cover her ears at the harsh noise, and Hiei's flinch told her that he felt the same.

"Will you shut up?" Choko demanded, glaring at Kuwabara. He gulped when his eyes met hers, but he did not freeze in place. "Do I look like a damsel in distress to you?"

"N-no," he answered softly. She smirked. At least her ability did still work on humans to some extent.

"Good," she snapped, "then drop it. I'm not leaving until my job is done." At those words, Yusuke's attention focused back on Hiei.

"Start talkin', Hiei," Yusuke clipped. Hiei's shoulders fell and he moved faster than Choko could follow. She felt him as he perched on the balcony behind her. Tension made her stomach tighten. She doubted he'd ever been so close to her; not since he'd brought her here, that is.

"There's a demon who's been trying to assassinate Mukuro," Hiei answered. Yusuke's and Kuwabara's expressions fell into total shock. "He's a psychic. Each demon he's sent posses no memories- only orders to kill."

"Why?" Kuwabara asked. "I mean, yeah, she's super scary, but that doesn't mean she should _die_."

Hiei grunted at the stupidity of the question. "Mukuro is one of the strongest demons on this plane. She's slaughtered countless demons in her quest for more power. There are many who'd like nothing more than to see her dead."

The room fell silent. Yusuke and Kuwabara both had serious expressions and appeared deep in thought. She wasn't sure that the big one was capable of too much thinking, though. She'd seen into his very soul. He was kind and chivalrous, but simple. He wasn't unintelligent, but he wasn't as cold and calculating as was needed in a place like Demon World. He wore his emotions on his sleeve and didn't conceal a thing. Seeing such an honest person was a small relief, but also an annoyance.

"Why can't you just find him and kill him using your Jagan?" Yusuke asked. Choko was impressed. Apparently, there was a reason Hiei called him "detective".

"He's a powerful psychic," Hiei bit. "I _can't_ locate him." The tone of his voice made it seem like that confession was almost painful.

"I didn't realize there was something that you couldn't do, Hiei," Kuwabara teased. Yusuke's sharp look made him cease his giggles. At least one of them was taking this situation seriously.

"What aren't you telling us?" Yusuke asked. Hiei's eyes narrowed at him.

"Don't worry about the details," Choko supplied. She knew Hiei didn't want to say anything about the demons who'd come here to attack her- or the two demons that were currently imprisoned and waiting on her to interrogate them. Hell, she didn't want to give these two morons another reason to try and take her away from here. It wasn't worth Mukuro's wrath. She couldn't handle that dark room again. "What's this tournament you mentioned?" She needed to change the topic. She wanted nothing more than to go back home, but leaving against Mukuro's will was an exercise in futility.

"The Demon World Tournament decides the next ruler of the entire plane," Hiei answered. She looked up, narrowing her eyes. He sat perfectly behind her so that from this angle, she could look into his burning crimson orbs. He was still, but wasn't trying to fight against her this time.

"Are you stupid?" she snapped.

"It was my idea," Yusuke protested loudly. She jerked her head forward, finding Yusuke and glaring at him.

"Then you're the idiot!" she almost shouted. "Even I can see that whoever is trying to kill Mukuro is only doing is so that the major competition for this tournament is taken out before the damn thing begins!"

"That's so uncool!" Kuwabara whined. "I mean, the whole point of the tournament is to see who is the strongest, right? So why kill someone before they've even had a chance to fight?"

"Because this demon is a coward," Hiei bit. "It's much easier to get rid of major powers without having to face them yourself." Choko nodded.

"And ideas on who this guy might be?" Yusuke asked. Hiei shook his head.

"There's one demon we suspect is working closely with this psychic," Hiei mentioned, "and he's being followed as we speak." The chill that shot down Choko's spine was painful. She stood up, ignoring her body's protests.

"Somethin' big is comin', guys," Kuwabara said, looking the same way she felt. She retreated further into her room, drawing the sword at her side. It shook in her grasp. Her insides tightened painfully.

* * *

A/N: Soooo I know this one took forever to post, but shit kinda happened and now I don't get to write as much as I'd like to. I work full time and I'll be going to school starting March 3rd, so you'll just have to be patient with me. I have no plans on abandoning this story. That being said, I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can manage to get it written.

Hope you guys enjoyed the change-up. :)


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